State Bank of Pakistan has not introduced a PKR 300 banknote

Claim: The caretaker government has issued a Rs 300 banknote for the people of Pakistan. 

Fact: SBP Representative clarifies that this is fake news and no such banknote has been issued.

On 13 September 2023, a Twitter user shared an image of a PKR 300 banknote claiming that the State Bank of Pakistan had issued a new note in the denomination of 300 rupees. Other similar images were also circulating social media around the same time. The note was a teal green in colour, and the phrase “300 THOUSAND RUPEES” was written at the bottom of the note.

Fact or Fiction?

Soch Fact Check got in touch with a representative of the State Bank of Pakistan to verify the claim. She told us that a PKR 300 banknote has not been issued, and there are no plans in place to issue a PKR 300 banknote either. 

Soch Fact Check also checked the official catalogue of all denominations of banknotes on the SBP website and found that there is no announcement of a PKR 300 note being issued. We reviewed their social media account on Twitter and did not find any announcements inaugurating the PKR 300 note. Additionally, we did not find the claim being substantiated by any news reports from mainstream news organisations. 

Virality

Soch Fact Check found that the claim was heavily shared on Facebook. 

Some posts can be found here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. 

Conclusion: The State Bank of Pakistan has not issued a PKR 300 banknote. 

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