5 Rupees PKR Banknote (Regular Issue (1950s–Present)) 1997

5 Rupees Rupee (Issued 1997)

Rendered in a dominant palette of violet and mauve with soft green tonal washes, the 1997 Pakistani five-rupee note follows an engraving tradition characteristic of mid-to-late twentieth-century South Asian currency design, combining fine intaglio portraiture with decorative geometric borders and Urdu calligraphic text as a primary visual component. The layout is symmetrical and disciplined, with the issuing authority’s name displayed prominently in Urdu script across the upper centre and the denomination reinforced at multiple points across the face. This particular issue carries a commemorative significance, marking fifty years of Pakistani independence through the dates 1947–1997 printed to the left of centre. Compared with contemporaneous notes from the region, the design balances official gravitas with restrained decorative flourish, maintaining clarity of denomination across both Latin and Urdu script renderings.

On the front, the right-hand side of the note is dominated by an intaglio portrait of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder and first Governor-General of Pakistan, depicted in his characteristic Karakul cap and formal jacket, rendered in fine violet engraving with strong tonal contrast against the lighter background. His gaze is directed slightly to the left of centre, and the portrait is framed within an unbordered oval field typical of South Asian currency portraiture of this period. To the upper left, the serial number COM1830709 appears twice — once in the upper left corner and once along the lower centre — in dark violet numerals on a pale field. The issuing authority is named in Urdu script across the upper centre, reading as the State Bank of Pakistan in that script, alongside the denomination text in Urdu calligraphy which translates as five rupees. The commemorative dates 1947–1997 are printed in bold to the mid-left of the note, accompanied by a small golden jubilee emblem and additional Urdu text marking the fiftieth anniversary of Pakistani independence. The numeral five appears in large format in the lower left corner within a decorative hexagonal cartouche, and a smaller numeral five is positioned within an ornate panel at the upper right. A governor’s signature in Urdu script appears centrally below the main text block, with a title line beneath it also rendered in Urdu. The borders of the note are formed by repeating geometric and diamond-pattern guilloché work in violet, providing a structured decorative frame to the composition.

The reverse is printed predominantly in violet and soft mint green, with the central composition given over to a detailed engraved vignette of the Shahi Bagh tomb or domed mausoleum — a historic Mughal-era structure depicted with considerable architectural precision, showing its central dome, arched entrance gateway, flanking trees, and a surrounding garden or water feature rendered in fine line engraving. The building sits against a pale green sky field, with the engraving conveying depth through cross-hatching and tonal gradation across the stonework. Along the top of the note, “STATE BANK OF PAKISTAN” is printed in clear serif Latin text in violet. The denomination “FIVE RUPEES” is displayed in bold capital letters along the lower centre, with the numeral five in a decorative hexagonal cartouche at the lower left and a smaller numeral five within a floral rosette panel at the right margin. A line of Urdu script text appears along the very bottom edge of the note, forming the standard legal tender declaration. The left and right borders continue the repeating diamond and geometric guilloché patterns seen on the obverse, maintaining visual consistency across both faces of the note. Faint show-through from the obverse printing is visible in the lighter areas of the green field, consistent with the paper stock used across this series.

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