The Pakistani government has launched a big crackdown on illegal transfers of foreign currencies like US dollars, British pounds, and euros.
This decision came from a high-level meeting on March 17, 2026, led by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb. The main goal is to stop money laundering and shut down hawala/hundi networks that move money abroad without using official banks.
Officials want all overseas remittances and fund transfers to go through proper banking channels or licensed exchange companies. They plan to make these legal ways more secure, clear, and easy to use.
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) gave details on the current remittance system, while the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Finance Secretary joined the talks.
No mercy will be shown to big players in illegal transfers, including business people and companies involved. A joint working group from SBP and FIA will monitor the actions and report on progress.
This comes after ongoing efforts by FIA in 2025 and early 2026, where they arrested hundreds, seized billions in cash, and broke up hawala rings to fight smuggling and black money.
The move aims to strengthen Pakistan’s economy, bring more remittances into official channels, and reduce pressure on the rupee from informal markets.
Past crackdowns have helped boost formal inflows, and this one targets large-scale operators to prevent funds from leaking out illegally.