The federal government is preparing to increase the value of Diyat (blood money) to Rs19.3 million for the 2026-27 fiscal year, marking the largest annual increase since the compensation amount began being revised under the Pakistan Penal Code.

Sources said the Finance Division has submitted a proposal to the federal cabinet seeking approval to fix the Diyat amount at Rs19.3 million. Once endorsed by the cabinet, the revised amount will be formally notified and become applicable nationwide.

Under Section 323(2) of the Pakistan Penal Code, the value of Diyat is recalculated every year based on the market value of 30,630 grams of silver, the quantity prescribed by law. The compensation is payable to the legal heirs of a victim in cases where Diyat applies.

For the 2025-26 fiscal year, the government had set the Diyat amount at Rs9,828,670. The proposed figure for 2026-27 represents an increase of nearly 96 percent, driven by the sharp rise in international and domestic silver prices.

According to sources, the State Bank of Pakistan recommended the revised amount after calculating the current market value of the prescribed quantity of silver.

Following cabinet approval, the Finance Division will issue the official notification, and the revised Diyat amount will be binding on courts and other authorities dealing with relevant cases during the 2026-27 fiscal year.