The government has announced an increase in profit rates on national saving schemes, a notification said on Tuesday 

Profit on defence saving certificates has been increased from 9.42pc to 9.51pc while special saving certificates from 7.97 pc to 8.40pc. However, the profit rate on regular income certificates remained unchanged.

Last month, the federal government increased the rate of profit in a range of 12-96 basis points on various national saving certificates.

The increase was aimed partly to attract higher investment in the government papers and partly to pass on the benefit of rising in returns from Pakistan Investment Bonds (PIBs).