Walk into any Pakistani bank, read any government tender, or look at a property advertisement and you'll see numbers written in a system that doesn't match most international sources. This isn't just a language issue — it's a different numbering convention with its own units and its own digit grouping. Here's the full picture.
The Pakistani number units
| Unit | In digits | Western equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Hazar (ہزار) — Thousand | 1,000 | One Thousand |
| Lakh (لاکھ) | 1,00,000 | 100 Thousand |
| Crore (کروڑ) | 1,00,00,000 | 10 Million |
| Arab (ارب) | 1,00,00,00,000 | 1 Billion |
| Kharab (کھرب) | 1,00,00,00,00,000 | 100 Billion |
Digit grouping
Western systems group digits in threes: 10,000,000. Pakistani grouping starts with three from the right, then goes in twos: 1,00,00,000. Both represent one crore. The commas are visual aids — the underlying number is identical. This is why Pakistani bank statements look unfamiliar to international readers even when the numbers themselves are the same.
Cheque wording — the correct Pakistani format
Pakistani bank cheques require the amount in words using the South Asian format. The standard convention:
- Begin with "Rupees"
- Write the full amount using Pakistani units (lakh, crore)
- End with "Only"
- Draw a line after "Only" to fill remaining space and prevent alterations
| Amount | Correct cheque wording |
|---|---|
| Rs. 5,000 | Rupees Five Thousand Only |
| Rs. 25,000 | Rupees Twenty-Five Thousand Only |
| Rs. 1,50,000 | Rupees One Lakh Fifty Thousand Only |
| Rs. 5,00,000 | Rupees Five Lakh Only |
| Rs. 25,00,000 | Rupees Twenty-Five Lakh Only |
| Rs. 1,00,00,000 | Rupees One Crore Only |
| Rs. 1,50,00,000 | Rupees One Crore Fifty Lakh Only |
| Rs. 50,000.75 | Rupees Fifty Thousand and Seventy-Five Paisa Only |
Get exact cheque wording for any amount
Pakistani lakh-crore format with "Rupees Only" convention. Free, instant.
Conversion between Pakistani and International
| Pakistani | International |
|---|---|
| 1 Lakh | 100,000 (100 Thousand) |
| 10 Lakh | 1,000,000 (1 Million) |
| 1 Crore | 10,000,000 (10 Million) |
| 100 Crore | 1,000,000,000 (1 Billion) |
| 1 Arab | 1,000,000,000 (1 Billion) |
How these numbers appear in everyday Pakistani life
- Property: typically in lakh and crore — "1.2 crore flat" means Rs. 12,000,000
- Salaries: in thousands or lakh — "2 lakh per month" = Rs. 200,000
- Government budgets: in arab and kharab — large infrastructure projects run into the hundreds of arab
- Business revenues: in crore for mid-size companies, arab for large corporations
Brief history
The lakh-crore system originates from ancient Sanskrit number conventions, standardized through Mughal administration and continued under British colonial governance. Despite English education introducing the million-billion system, the lakh-crore system remained the standard for everyday commerce and banking across the subcontinent. Post-independence Pakistan and India both retained it for official financial use. Learning to read it fluently is simply the practical option for anyone dealing with South Asian finances.