KARACHI, July 19, 2025 – The Pakistani Rupee strengthened slightly against the Saudi Riyal in Saturday’s trading, with the SAR closing at Rs75.96 compared to Rs75.97 recorded on July 17.
1 Saudi Riyal= 75.96 Pakistani Rupee
Despite the modest improvement, the rate remains elevated from Rs75.90 seen on July 16 and significantly higher than last week’s Rs75.69, market sources confirmed. Currency dealers quoted the selling rate at Rs76.53, reflecting ongoing volatility influenced by remittance patterns and seasonal trading factors.
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Remittance Flows Underscore SAR’s Strategic Role
The Saudi Riyal maintains its critical position in Pakistan’s financial ecosystem, underpinned by the Kingdom’s status as the country’s largest remittance source. Latest State Bank data shows Saudi Arabia contributed $913.3 million in worker remittances during May 2025, forming the backbone of Pakistan’s $34.9 billion total remittance receipts recorded between July 2024 and May 2025 – marking a substantial 28.8% year-on-year surge.
At current exchange levels, Pakistani families receiving 1,000 Saudi Riyals now convert approximately Rs75,960, down marginally from Rs75,970 earlier this week. These inflows continue supporting household expenditures across education, healthcare and essential goods despite the minor rate adjustment.
Market Implications of Currency Movement
The Pakistani Rupee’s incremental strength against the Riyal presents mixed economic signals. While Pakistani importers of Saudi petroleum products and petrochemicals may face slightly higher costs, the overall impact remains limited given the SAR’s dollar-peg stability. Conversely, the adjustment could provide modest support to Pakistan’s trade deficit management.
Foreign exchange analysts note that sustained remittance inflows have bolstered Pakistan’s reserves, which crossed $11 billion in October 2024, contributing to improved monetary stability and debt servicing capacity.
Currency Fundamentals and Forward Outlook
The Saudi Riyal’s dollar-linked framework ensures continued reliability for cross-border transactions, while the Pakistani Rupee operates under managed float conditions set by the central bank. Market participants anticipate continued rate fluctuations driven by remittance seasonality and bilateral trade volumes.
Financial experts suggest monitoring upcoming remittance data and Saudi economic indicators for directional cues on the SAR-PKR exchange trajectory in coming sessions.
Market data sourced from Forex Association of Pakistan and State Bank of Pakistan