SBP rejects claims banning currency notes with pen marks from July 2025

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has dismissed recent reports suggesting that currency notes bearing pen markings or handwriting will cease to be accepted as legal tender starting July 1, 2025, The Express Tribune reported. 

SBP Chief Spokesperson Noor Ahmed said that no such notification has been issued, calling the circulating claims baseless and misleading.

The clarification came after social media posts and news reports circulated a fake notification claiming that any currency note with pen marks or writing would lose its validity from mid-2025.

Noor Ahmed reiterated the SBP’s stance that currency notes are a national asset and should be treated with care and respect to maintain their integrity.