In the financial sector of Pakistan, all banks across the country will remain closed for public dealing today, Monday.
The announcement affects not only the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) but also the Development Financial Institutions (DFIs) and Microfinance Banks (MFBs). This closure is due to the observance of a bank holiday on July 3.
Bank Schedules and Extended Office Hours
Interestingly, this development follows a previous announcement by the SBP that all banks and their branches would remain operational on Saturday, April 30. Moreover, it was confirmed that services such as ATMs and mobile and internet banking would be available to customers even during the Eid holidays.
It’s worth noting that the SBP has recently reestablished the Saturday holiday for bank employees nationwide. Despite this change, some bank branches will open on Saturdays to cater to the public. Consequently, the office hours during the five-day workweek have been extended. The new timings are from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm Monday to Thursday, with a break for namaz and lunch from 1:30 pm to 2:15 pm. This measure is set to balance the needs of both the banking personnel and the public.
