Every quarter, in a different city, a room fills up with officials and members of the public and a machine turns. Within a few hours a list of winning numbers exists that will be searched by millions of people. This is what actually happens in that room.
Who conducts the draw
The draw is held under the Central Directorate of National Savings (CDNS) by a draw committee constituted for the purpose. It typically includes officials of National Savings and representatives associated with the host office, and the proceedings are conducted openly.
The machine
The winning numbers are produced by a Hand Operated Drawing Machine (HODM) — a purely mechanical device, not a computer. This is deliberate: a mechanical draw can be watched, inspected and understood by anyone in the room, which is far harder with software. The machine is available for inspection before the draw begins, and members of the public may examine it.
Why children draw the numbers
Numbers are conventionally drawn by children invited for the purpose. The reason is simple and old: a child has no knowledge of, or interest in, which numbers are being sought, which makes the process visibly disinterested to everyone watching.
The sequence of a draw
- The venue, date and denomination are announced in advance in the published draw schedule.
- Before the draw, attendees may inspect the machine.
- The first prize number is drawn, then the second prize numbers, then the third prize numbers — a much longer list.
- Numbers are recorded and read out as they are drawn.
- The complete list is compiled, checked and issued by National Savings.
- Publication follows, and sites like this one reproduce the list for easy searching.
Can you attend?
Yes. Prize bond draws are open to the public. In practice you should:
- Check the schedule for the date, denomination and host city.
- Contact the hosting National Savings office or SBP-BSC field office beforehand to confirm the venue address and reporting time.
- Carry your original CNIC — identification is normally required for entry.
- Arrive early; seating is limited and draws start on time.
Why the city keeps changing
Draws rotate between cities so that the process is visible across the country rather than concentrated in one place. That is why the same denomination is drawn in Lahore one quarter and Karachi, Multan, Peshawar, Quetta, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Muzaffarabad or another city the next. The complete draw archive on this site lists every past draw with its host city, so you can see the rotation for yourself.
How to read the result you finally see
The published list is grouped by prize position — first, second and third — and each block contains six-digit numbers. Your bond wins if its number appears in one of those blocks and the bond's stamped issue date is earlier than the draw date. Every draw page on this site shows the three blocks in full, along with the prize amounts, the tax breakdown and the claim deadline for that specific draw.
What if a draw date changes?
Dates occasionally move because of public holidays or unforeseen circumstances. When that happens the revised date is announced by National Savings; the schedule page here is updated to match. If a date looks different from what you remember, the schedule page is the one to trust.