Home SWIFT/BIC code Pakistan
Pakistan SWIFT/BIC code validator
How the SWIFT/BIC code format works
- Format
- 8 or 11-character bank identifier code, country code PK in positions 5-6
- Example
- HABBPKKA
Things to watch for
- Structure: 4-letter bank code + PK (country) + 2-character location code, plus an optional 3-character branch code
- An 8-character code (or one ending XXX) refers to the bank's head office in Karachi, Pakistan's financial capital — nearly every major bank shares KA as the location code
- No checksum digit — this is a format check only; it confirms positions 5-6 read PK, not that the bank or branch actually exists
^[A-Z]{4}PK[A-Z0-9]{2}([A-Z0-9]{3})?$A Pakistani SWIFT/BIC code identifies the bank on an international wire transfer into or out of Pakistan, working alongside the 24-character Pakistani IBAN that identifies the account itself. Every Pakistani BIC has PK fixed at positions 5-6, right after the 4-letter bank code, and nearly all of the country’s largest banks anchor their SWIFT head office in Karachi.
Major Pakistani bank BIC prefixes
| Bank | BIC | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Habib Bank Limited (HBL) | HABBPKKA | Karachi |
| MCB Bank | MUCBPKKA | Karachi |
| United Bank Limited (UBL) | UNILPKKA | Karachi |
| National Bank of Pakistan | NBPAPKKA | Karachi |
How this validator works
This tool checks that the code is 8 or 11 characters, the first 4 characters are letters, positions 5-6 read PK, and the remaining characters follow the letter-or-digit pattern for the location and branch segments — entirely in your browser, with nothing sent to a server.
What a pass doesn’t tell you
A pass confirms the code fits the Pakistani BIC pattern, not that HABB, MUCB, UNIL, or NBPA still names an operating bank, or that the branch suffix is current. A BIC has no checksum digit, so a fabricated code that matches the shape still passes.
Scope: format validation only. A correctly formatted BIC says nothing about whether the accompanying Pakistani IBAN entered on the same form is valid.
SWIFT/BIC code FAQ
What's the SWIFT code format for a Pakistani bank?
A Pakistani BIC is 8 or 11 characters: a 4-letter bank code, PK fixed at positions 5-6, a 2-character location code, and an optional 3-character branch code — for example HABBPKKA for Habib Bank Limited.
Why do most Pakistani BICs end in KA?
KA is the SWIFT location code for Karachi, Pakistan's financial capital — nearly every major Pakistani bank registers its head office there, even though Islamabad is the political capital.
Is a SWIFT/BIC code the same as a Pakistani IBAN?
No. Pakistan issues a 24-character IBAN for the recipient's account, separate from the BIC that identifies the bank itself — international transfers into Pakistan typically need both.