Banks to remain closed for public on Jan 1: SBP

The central bank has advised all commercial banks to observe extended working hours until 10pm on Wednesday

The State Bank of Pakistan has announced a public holiday on January 1, resulting in the closure of banks for public dealings, according to an official statement issued on Tuesday.

In a notification, the central bank said that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) would remain closed for public transactions on January 1, 2026 (Thursday) due to a bank holiday. The statement said that all banks, development finance institutions and microfinance banks would also remain closed for public dealings on the same date.

However, the SBP clarified that employees of banks, development finance institutions and microfinance banks would attend office as per routine.

Meanwhile, SBP has advised all branches of commercial banks to observe extended working hours until 10:00 pm on Wednesday to facilitate taxpayers in making over-the-counter payments of government duties and taxes.

In a press release, the central bank said banks had also been directed to keep their relevant branches open for as long as required to facilitate the Special Clearing for Government transactions conducted by the National Institutional Facilitation Technologies (NIFT).

The SBP further advised banks to ensure uninterrupted availability of their online payment channels, including internet banking, mobile applications, ATMs and other digital platforms, to facilitate the online payment of government duties and taxes.