Gold rate in Pakistan today

How gold is priced in Pakistan

Gold in Pakistan is quoted per tola, not per gram or per ounce. One tola is 11.6638 grams — a unit inherited from the subcontinent's pre-metric trade and still the standard on which every Sarafa bazaar transaction is written. Ten grams is the second most common quote, and it works out to a little under one tola, which is why the two numbers look similar but never match.

The rates above come from the Sarafa bazaar — the dealer market where gold actually changes hands. They are not the international price converted into rupees, and the difference between the two is the point of showing both.

Why the local rate is higher than the international one

Three things sit between the world price and what you pay in Karachi or Lahore.

The dollar. International gold is priced in US dollars, so the rupee rate depends entirely on the exchange rate used. Sarafa dealers price against the open-market dollar, which usually trades above the interbank rate. When the rupee weakens, the local gold rate rises even if gold itself has not moved — a point that confuses a lot of first-time sellers.

Local supply and demand. Pakistan imports most of its gold, and import conditions tighten and loosen. When supply is short or wedding season demand is strong, the local premium widens.

Dealer margin. A dealer quotes a buying price and a selling price, and the gap between them is the business. You will always sell below the quoted rate and buy above it.

24K, 22K and 21K — and what you actually pay

Karat is a fraction of twenty-four. 24K is pure gold and is what bars and investment pieces are made from. 22K (hallmark 916, 91.6% gold) is the jewellery standard across most of Pakistan, and 21K (hallmark 875, 87.5%) is common for heavier sets where strength matters. When Gold Desk works a karat out from the international price it uses these hallmark figures (24K = 999); Karachi's own published 22K and 21K rates are always shown as published.

The rate is only part of the bill. On top of it sit making charges — majoori — which cover the craftsmanship and vary enormously by design, and wastage, an allowance for metal lost in the working. A simple chain may carry modest charges; an intricate bridal set can carry a great deal more. When you compare two shops, compare the making charges, because the underlying rate is broadly the same across the bazaar on any given day.

Selling gold: what to expect

If you are selling, the dealer buys on weight and purity, not on what you paid or on the making charges you were once billed for. Old jewellery is usually tested and weighed in front of you. Expect an offer below the quoted rate — that spread is how the dealer covers price risk and refining. Knowing the day's rate for your karat tells you whether an offer is fair. It does not entitle you to the full rate.

When these rates change

The Sarafa rate is set by the association and updated when the market moves, typically once or twice a trading day, and it does not change over the weekend. The international equivalent above updates continuously while global markets are open. If the two have drifted apart, it usually means the local rate has not yet caught up with an overnight move — or that the open-market dollar has shifted.

For the live international price, the short-term ranges and the chart, see the live price board.