Pakistan's federal government has nearly doubled the mandatory blood money payment for fiscal year 2026-27, setting it at over Rs19 million — a 97% jump driven by surging silver prices. The new rate, officially notified on Tuesday, applies to convictions under the Qisas and Diyyat provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code. Main Developments The Ministry of Finance set the diyat amount at Rs19,352,390, reflecting the value of 30,630 grams of silver as required by Section 323 of the Pakistan Penal Code. This represents an unprecedented 97% increase over the previous fiscal year's value of Rs9,828,670. Under the Qisas and Diyyat framework, offenders convicted of murder must either meet release criteria after serving their sentence or pay diyat — compensation to the victim's heirs. The court determines the final amount, guided by Islamic injunctions and the financial circumstances of both parties. Read also: PML-N MPA Saqib Chadhar Found Guilty in Actor Harassment Case Background Section 323 of the PPC mandates that diyat cannot be less than the value of 30,630 grams of silver, with the federal government required to notify silver's value annually on July 1. The current hike follows a pattern of steep increases: diyat stood at Rs6,757,902 in FY2023-24 — a 56% rise from Rs4,318,524 in FY2022-23. In July 2025, a Senate amendment was proposed to substitute the silver-based minimum with 2,000 grams of gold or one-fourth of the convict's assets. That proposal has not yet been enacted into law. Why It Matters The 97% increase places a significantly higher financial burden on convicts and their families, potentially affecting plea negotiations and sentencing outcomes. For victims' heirs, the larger compensation offers greater restitution but also raises questions about enforcement and actual payment rates. Silver's volatility as a benchmark introduces year-to-year unpredictability into the legal system. The proposed gold-linked alternative would likely produce even higher payments given gold's current market value, potentially widening the gap between legal obligations and actual collection. What's Next The Senate amendment substituting gold for silver remains pending. If passed, it would fundamentally change how diyat is calculated and could trigger further increases. Courts will continue applying the newly notified rate for FY2026-27 until superseded by legislation or next year's notification.