On 1 July 2026, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) switched off two of the best-known perks attached to home remittances: the Telegraphic Transfer Charges Incentive Scheme (TTCIS) and the Sohni Dharti Remittance Programme (SDRP). Both were casualties of IMF-backed fiscal reform. Yet in the very same fiscal year the schemes were being wound down, overseas Pakistanis sent home a record $41.6 billion. For an investor sitting in Dubai, Jeddah or Manchester, the question is simple: with the reward points gone, what is the smartest thing to do with a banking-channel inflow? For many, the answer is a titled, RDA-approved 5-marla plot in Rawalpindi.
What exactly ended on 1 July 2026
The SBP discontinued both schemes after the IMF questioned why the subsidies continued when payments were no longer tied to bank performance and cheap digital transfer technology had become standard. Here is the practical breakdown:
- TTCIS reimbursed banks for processing eligible remittance transactions. Its cost had ballooned to an estimated Rs 100–120 billion a year. It is now closed.
- Sohni Dharti (SDRP) gave overseas Pakistanis loyalty “reward points” for sending money through formal channels. No new points accrue from 1 July 2026, but points earned up to 30 June 2026 can still be redeemed until 30 June 2027 — so check and use your balance before it lapses.
Crucially, the SBP confirmed that banks will keep processing qualifying remittances free of charge for both sender and beneficiary. In other words, your zero-cost transfer survives; only the loyalty perks and bank subsidies are gone.
Why remittances stayed record-strong anyway
The data makes the case that incentives were never the main driver. Even as perks were being phased out, inflows climbed:
| Metric (FY2025-26) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total remittances | $41.6 billion (all-time record) |
| Year-on-year growth | +8.6% (up from $38.3bn in FY25) |
| Monthly average | ~$3.46 billion |
| Best single month (May 2026) | $4.25 billion (highest ever) |
| Top source — Saudi Arabia | $9.78 billion |
| UAE | $8.81 billion |
| United Kingdom | $6.33 billion |
| SBP forecast (FY2026-27) | ~$44 billion |
A stronger, more stable rupee, a narrowing gap between interbank and open-market rates, and the ongoing shift from hundi/hawala to formal channels have done more to lift inflows than any reward scheme. That stability is exactly what makes a rupee-denominated land purchase less risky than it was two or three years ago.
The clean route: from inflow to titled plot
A quick clarification, because the acronym does double duty in this story. The Roshan Digital Account (RDA) is your banking gateway; the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) is the regulator that approves housing layouts. You use the first to legally fund a plot approved by the second.
The Roshan Digital Account remains the cleanest, fully documented channel. Since 16 March 2026, the facility has been widened to include foreign nationals, foreign companies and institutional investors. Investments made through an RDA are fully repatriable and fall under a simple final-tax regime, and property disputes for overseas holders can be routed through dedicated overseas-Pakistani courts. Here is the typical workflow:
- Open a Roshan Digital Account remotely with any participating bank — no visit to Pakistan needed, just your passport/NICOP and proof of overseas status.
- Remit funds through the formal channel (still free of charge) into your RDA.
- Use “Roshan Apna Ghar” to purchase property directly, or transfer funds to a local rupee account for the booking and instalments.
- Verify the project is RDA-approved and insist on documentation at every stage: booking receipt, allocation/allotment letter, and eventually the registered transfer and possession.
- Keep the repatriation trail intact so any future sale proceeds or rental income can be sent back abroad legally.
Why a 5-marla in Rawalpindi fits the moment
A 5-marla (roughly 125 square yards) plot is the sweet spot for remittance-funded buyers: small enough to clear on monthly instalments, large enough to build a family home or resell to end-users. On the Girja Road / Thalian corridor near the new Rawalpindi Ring Road, the economics are especially friendly to overseas investors:
| Feature | Typical Silver City 5-marla (2026) |
|---|---|
| Headline price range | ~Rs 2.55–2.75 million |
| Instalment tenors | 36- or 48-month plans |
| Sample 3-year plan | Down payment ~Rs 375,000 + 36 monthlies of ~Rs 22,916 |
| Approving authority | Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) |
| Location advantage | Girja Road, near Thalian interchange & 38.6 km Ring Road (live mid-2026) |
| Tax base | Lower notified/FBR valuation than comparable Islamabad plots |
A single strong remittance month — the national average is above $3.4bn and individual transfers of a few thousand dollars are common — comfortably covers a 5-marla down payment, with monthly instalments of around Rs 23,000–25,000 easily funded by routine transfers. Because the corridor sits on a lower tax base than central Islamabad, your transfer and registration costs are lighter too.
A quick word of caution
The end of reward points does not change due diligence. Always confirm the plot number falls inside the RDA-sanctioned layout, that your instalments are receipted, and that the eventual transfer is registered in your name. “Titled” means you hold a verifiable, transferable ownership document — not merely a file or an open-form marketing allocation. Insist on that paper trail from day one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still send money home cheaply now that TTCIS and Sohni Dharti have ended?
Yes. The SBP confirmed that banks will continue to offer qualifying remittance services free of charge to both senders and beneficiaries. What ended were the bank subsidies (TTCIS) and the loyalty reward points (Sohni Dharti) — not the free, formal transfer channel itself.
I still have unused Sohni Dharti reward points. Will I lose them?
Points you accumulated up to 30 June 2026 remain redeemable until 30 June 2027. No new points accrue on remittances sent from 1 July 2026 onward, so review your balance and redeem before the deadline.
Do I need to fly to Pakistan to buy a 5-marla plot?
No. You can open a Roshan Digital Account remotely, remit funds through the formal channel, and book or buy an RDA-approved plot via Roshan Apna Ghar or a local rupee account. Investments are fully repatriable, and overseas-Pakistani courts offer a faster route if any ownership dispute arises.
Is a 5-marla plot a safe store of value if the rupee stabilises?
Historically, well-located RDA-approved land in a growing twin-cities corridor has held and grown value in rupee terms. A more stable rupee actually reduces the currency risk of converting dollars into local land, and end-user demand for affordable 5-marla plots near the Ring Road supports resale liquidity.
Wrap-up
The incentive era is over, but the fundamentals that matter to an overseas investor — free formal transfers, record inflows, a steadier rupee and a repatriable Roshan Digital route — are all intact. Converting a banking-channel inflow into a titled, RDA-approved 5-marla asset remains one of the most straightforward ways to put those dollars to work. On the Girja Road corridor near the Thalian interchange, Silver City is an RDA-approved, instalment-friendly option well worth shortlisting — just verify the title, keep every receipt, and let your next strong remittance month make the down payment.
