Pakistan received a financial boost this week after the State Bank of Pakistan confirmed it had received $2 billion from Saudi Arabia, prompting a wave of reactions and memes on social media.
In a post on X, the State Bank of Pakistan said, “State Bank of Pakistan has received funds of US$2 billion from Ministry of Finance, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the value date of 15 April 2026.”
The inflow comes at a time when Pakistan is under pressure to maintain its foreign exchange reserves amid large debt repayments and continued economic uncertainty.
Also Read |
However, the development quickly sparked a meme fest online, with several users mocking Pakistan's repeated reliance on external financial support.
One user, Rajen, wrote on X, “Really, a big achievement for Pakistan.”
Another user, Dear Men, posted, “Even after Islamabad peace talks, Pakistan was claiming that it will become prosperous like Sweden. Then why Pakistan was begging now in front of Saudi Arabia? Anyways congratulations Bhikaristan.”
A separate meme post featured a donkey representing Pakistan with both legs in plaster marked “UAE loan” and “Saudi loan,” while connected to drips labelled “China aid,” “US aid,” “IMF” and “World Bank.” The meme also showed a tiger representing India saying, “The tea was fantastic.”
Another user commented, “Laughable. This poor country of South Asia — Pakistan asking for money from another country to repay the other country. And they took this loan from the UAE in 1996. Imagine.”
Saudi Arabia has long been one of Pakistan's key financial backers, frequently extending deposits, oil facilities and loans to help Islamabad stabilise its economy during periods of stress.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is currently in Saudi Arabia, where he has been holding meetings and engaging in diplomatic efforts linked to rising tensions in the Middle East.
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.