Can you use white-out (correction fluid) on a cheque?
No. Most Pakistani banks will not accept a cheque with white-out or correction fluid on the amount or payee name. Void the cheque by writing CANCELLED across it and write a fresh one. Minor corrections on the date field may be acceptable if initialled — confirm with your specific bank first.
The fields on a cheque — what goes where
A standard Pakistani bank cheque has six fields to fill in. Missing or incorrectly filling any of them can cause the cheque to be rejected.
| Field | What to write | Common mistakes |
|---|---|---|
| Date | DD/MM/YYYY — today's date or a future date if post-dating | Wrong format, past year, leaving blank |
| Pay to / Payee name | Full name of person or organisation receiving payment | Abbreviating names, leaving spaces before the name, using nicknames |
| Amount in figures | Numeric amount as close to the Rs. sign as possible (e.g. Rs.25,000) | Leaving space before amount (tampering risk), no decimal for paisa |
| Amount in words | Full amount in words, ending with "Only" then a line to fill space | Using international (million) format instead of Pakistani (lakh) format |
| Signature | Your registered signature exactly as it appears on your account mandate | Signing differently from mandate, no signature, wrong signature box |
| Account number (some cheques) | Your bank account number — pre-printed on most modern cheques | Leaving blank if not pre-printed |
Step 1 — Write the date
Write today's date in the top right corner of the cheque in DD/MM/YYYY format. Most Pakistani cheques have a pre-printed format guide.
If you are post-dating a cheque (writing a future date because you want payment to be made later), write the intended future date. Be aware that Pakistani banks may present post-dated cheques before their date — this is technically improper but does happen. If security is a concern, use a bank transfer instead of a post-dated cheque.
Cheques become stale after a period of time — many Pakistani banks decline cheques older than a certain period. Check with your bank for their current policy.
Step 2 — Write the payee name
On the line that says "Pay" or "Pay to the order of," write the full legal name of the person or organisation you are paying. Use capital letters for clarity.
Start writing immediately after any pre-printed text — do not leave blank space before the name. A blank space before the payee name is a fraud risk because someone could add a different name before yours.
For payments to organisations, write the official registered name exactly as it appears in their documentation. "HBL" is not the same as "Habib Bank Limited" on a formal document — use whichever the recipient requires.
Step 3 — Write the amount in figures
In the box on the right side of the cheque (usually marked with a Rs. symbol), write the amount in numbers. Write as close to the left edge of the box as possible to prevent anyone adding extra digits.
Examples: Rs.25,000 not Rs. 25,000 (with a space). For amounts with paisa, write Rs.25,000.50. Do not round up or down — write the exact amount.
Step 4 — Write the amount in words
This is the field where most errors occur. In Pakistan, the amount in words must use Pakistani number format — lakh and crore, not million and billion.
| Amount | Correct wording | Wrong wording |
|---|---|---|
| Rs. 5,000 | Rupees Five Thousand Only | Five Thousand Rupees |
| Rs. 25,000 | Rupees Twenty-Five Thousand Only | Twenty Five Thousand Rupees Only (missing hyphen) |
| Rs. 1,50,000 | Rupees One Lakh Fifty Thousand Only | Rupees One Hundred Fifty Thousand Only |
| Rs. 5,00,000 | Rupees Five Lakh Only | Rupees Five Hundred Thousand Only |
| Rs. 50,000.75 | Rupees Fifty Thousand and Seventy-Five Paisa Only | Rupees Fifty Thousand Point Seventy Five Only |
After writing the amount in words, write "Only" and then draw a continuous line through any remaining blank space on that line. This prevents anyone adding extra words to change the amount.
Get the exact wording for any amount
Enter any Pakistani Rupee amount and get correctly formatted cheque wording instantly — lakh-crore format, "Rupees Only" convention, paisa included.
Step 5 — Sign the cheque
Sign in the signature box in the bottom right corner. Your signature must match the specimen signature on your bank account mandate — the signature card you signed when opening the account.
Banks compare the two signatures when processing cheques. If the signatures do not match sufficiently, the cheque is returned unpaid with a reason of "signature differs." This is particularly common when account holders change their signature over the years. If you have changed your signature, update the signature mandate at your bank branch first.
What to write on the back of a cheque
What goes on the back of a cheque depends on how it is being used:
- Depositing into your own account: Write "For deposit only — A/C [your account number]." This restricts the cheque to deposit only and protects you if it is lost or stolen.
- Credit card payment: Write your credit card number on the back. Some banks also ask for your name as it appears on the card. Check your bank's specific instructions.
- Endorsing to another person (order cheque): Sign the back and write "Pay to [new payee name]." This transfers the right to deposit to someone else. Not all banks allow this.
- Cashing a bearer cheque at the counter: The person cashing the cheque signs the back at the teller window.
If none of these apply — for example, a standard crossed cheque being deposited by the payee — nothing needs to be written on the back unless your bank specifically requests it.
Crossed vs uncrossed cheques
Most Pakistani cheques are pre-printed as crossed — they have two parallel lines in the top left corner. A crossed cheque can only be deposited into a bank account, not cashed over the counter. This is a security feature that prevents theft and fraud.
An uncrossed (open) cheque — one without the two parallel lines — can be presented at the counter for cash by whoever holds it. Most cheque books issued by Pakistani banks today are crossed by default. If you receive a cheque and want to deposit it, the crossing makes no difference to you — just deposit it normally.
What to do if you make a mistake
The safest option is always to void the mistaken cheque and write a new one. Write "CANCELLED" in large letters across the front of the cheque. Keep the cancelled cheque — do not destroy it — for your records and to reconcile your cheque book.
Some banks allow a correction if it is minor (such as the date) and the account holder initials the correction. However, banks differ on what they accept. Rather than guessing whether your correction will be accepted, write a new cheque. The cost of a returned cheque — in bank charges, delays, and embarrassment — is not worth the saving of one cheque leaf.
How to write a cheque example — Rs. 47,500
Here is a worked example for a cheque of Rs. 47,500:
- Date: 28/01/2025
- Pay: NATIONAL BANK OF PAKISTAN
- Rs. (figures): Rs.47,500/-
- Rupees (words): Rupees Forty-Seven Thousand Five Hundred Only ————
- Signature: [Account holder's specimen signature]
Note the "/-" after the figures — this is a common Pakistani convention to mark the end of the numeric amount and prevent tampering. Some account holders write "=00" after the figures for the same purpose.