LAHORE: The Pakistani rupee traded virtually flat against the US dollar during Wednesday’s session, showing little appetite for sharp movement across local currency desks.
Commercial banks quoted the greenback around Rs 277.65 for buying and Rs 278.15 for selling in the interbank market. Meanwhile, open-market exchange booths kept their counters open with buying rates at Rs 279.50 and selling at Rs 281.20.
| Currency Pair | Market | Buying Rate | Selling Rate |
| USD / PKR | Interbank Market | Rs. 277.65 | Rs. 278.15 |
| USD / PKR | Open Market | Rs. 279.50 | Rs. 281.20 |
Currency dealers pointed to balanced supply and demand as the main reason rates haven’t budged much this week. For ordinary consumers, even a temporary pause in dollar movement brings immediate practical relief. Pakistan buys almost all its petroleum, cooking oil, and industrial raw materials from abroad using greenbacks. Whenever the dollar jumps, petrol stations and wholesale grocery markets adjust their prices almost overnight.
Financial analysts also noted that keeping the gap small between bank rates and kerb market prices is working. Overseas Pakistanis are sticking to regular bank transfers to send money home, bypassing illegal hawala agents. That steady inflow of foreign currency gives the state crucial help with foreign debt payments while giving diaspora families a reliable buffer against rising daily bills.
