ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has announced that the country’s commercial banks will operate from 9am to 3pm from Monday to Thursday without any breaks.
On Fridays, however, banking hours will be from 9am to 12pm..
The central bank announced the revised banking hours to adjust schedules to accommodate fasting hours during the holy month of Ramadan.
Banks to follow revised schedule
According to a SBP spokesperson, all commercial banks, DFIs, and microfinance banks will follow the revised schedule.
According to the official statement, the commercial banks will operate from 9am to 3pm from Monday-Thursday without any breaks while on Fridays, banking hours will be from 9am to 12pm..
For public dealings, banks will be open from 9am to 2pm from Monday to Thursday, with Friday services closing at 12:30pm..
The SBP spokesperson said that all commercial banks, development finance institutions, and microfinance banks will follow the revised schedule during Ramadan.
The Establishment Division has also issued a notification adjusting working hours for federal government offices.
Offices operating on a five-day workweek will function from 9am to 3pm, while those on a six-day workweek will operate from 9am to 2pm.. On Fridays, all government offices will close at 12:30pm for Jum’a prayers.
In a related development, Pakistan Railways (PR0 has also revised working hours for reservation offices. Offices operating in two shifts will follow this schedule:
Morning shift: 7:30am to 12:30pm.
Evening shift: 12:30pm to 5:30pm
On Fridays, there will be a break from 12:30pm to 2pm for prayers.
However, reservation offices working on a single shift will continue with their existing schedules. These adjustments will remain in effect until the 15th of Ramadan, after which regular timings will resume.
Furthermore, banks across the country will remain closed for public dealing on March 3 (today) for Zakat deduction, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has said.
The central bank has sent a letter to the banks stating that the deduction in terms of Zakat will be on the first day of Ramadan. As the banks will remain close for public dealing, bank employees will be present treating it as a normal working day.
