KARACHI – The word investment itself makes Pakistanis thinking about big chunk of money, parking in some scheme but imagine being able to lend money directly to Government of Pakistan with just Rs5,000. State Bank of Pakistan’s new InvestPak platform brings government securities to ordinary citizens through fully digital process to make investing simpler, more accessible, and just a few clicks away. Here’s everything you need to know before getting started.
For individuals seeking relatively stable returns and government-backed investment options, InvestPak offers a new way to invest without leaving home.
In previous years, government securities were largely accessible only to banks and major financial institutions. Through InvestPak, individuals, companies, joint account holders, and overseas Pakistanis with Roshan Digital Accounts can now invest directly in government-backed securities with a minimum investment of just Rs5,000.
If you’re wondering how platform works, what investment options are available, and whether it’s worth considering, Pakistan Observer brings everything you need to know.
InvestPak
The platform allows investors to register online, open the required investment account digitally, purchase government securities, monitor their portfolio in real time, and even sell their investments before maturity through the secondary market.
Government securities are financial instruments through which the government borrows money from investors for a fixed period. In return, investors receive profits according to the type of security they purchase, while the government guarantees repayment of the original investment when the security reaches maturity.
Because these investments are backed by the Government of Pakistan, they are generally considered among the country’s lower-risk investment options.
Who can invest?
InvestPak is open to Pakistani citizens with a bank account, Individual investors, Joint account holders, Companies and corporate entities and Overseas Pakistanis with Roshan Digital Accounts.
The minimum investment amount starts at Rs5,000, making government securities accessible to small investors for the first time.
Register on InvestPak
Getting started is entirely digital.
- Create an account through the InvestPak website or mobile application.
- Enter your CNIC, email address, and registered mobile number.
- Provide your 24-digit IBAN linked to your bank account.
- Your bank verifies your information electronically.
- An OTP is sent to your registered mobile number and email.
- Enter the OTP to complete verification and activate your account.
Before investing, every investor must have an Investor Portfolio Securities (IPS) Account The IPS account acts like a digital vault where your government securities are stored electronically.
InvestPak currently offers three investment options.
Market Treasury Bills (MTBs)
These are short-term investments available for 3, 6, or 12 months. Rather than paying periodic profits, Treasury Bills are sold below their face value. Investors earn the difference between the purchase price and the amount received at maturity.
For example, if you purchase a Treasury Bill for Rs4,000, you may receive Rs5,000 when it matures, earning Rs1,000 as profit.
Pakistan Investment Bonds (PIBs)
These are medium- and long-term investments with maturities ranging from 2 to 10 years or longer.
Investors receive regular profit payments every three or six months and recover their original investment at maturity.
PIBs are available with fixed-rate returns, where the profit rate remains unchanged throughout the investment period, and floating-rate returns, where profits change according to State Bank policy rates and market conditions.
Ijarah Sukuk
Ijarah Sukuk are Shariah-compliant investment instruments. Instead of earning conventional interest, investors receive returns generated from income earned through government-owned assets in accordance with Islamic financial principles.
The payment method depends on the investment you choose.
Treasury Bills generate returns through discounted purchase prices, with profits paid when the investment matures. Pakistan Investment Bonds pay regular profit (coupon) payments every three or six months before returning the original investment at maturity.
Sukuk investors receive Shariah-compliant periodic returns based on the underlying assets. All payments are automatically transferred to your linked bank account.
InvestPak provides access to the secondary market, allowing investors to sell their government securities before maturity if they need immediate liquidity.
Although government securities are generally regarded as relatively safe investments, they are not entirely risk-free. Experts said the platform is major step toward making investment more accessible but believes its success will depend on public awareness and participation. More tan two third of government securities are still held by banks, raising questions about how quickly retail investors will adopt the new system.
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