Islamabad – September 2024: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has clarified that the winners of the recent art competition, announced on September 5, are not the finalized designs for the new banknote series. This clarification comes after some misunderstandings about the competition’s purpose. Earlier this year, in January 2024, the SBP launched an Art Competition inviting local artists to submit thematic design ideas for the new series of currency notes. The goal of the competition was to encourage creativity and recognize talented Pakistani artists, not to finalize the designs for the new notes. As a gesture of appreciation, the artists were awarded monetary prizes for their efforts. One of the notable designs showcased Pakistan’s religious diversity, which sparked some debate. However, the SBP emphasized that the design was selected purely based on artistic quality, and not to promote any specific religious beliefs. The central bank further explained that the actual designs for the