ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has announced four-day bank holidays that will affect the banking and financial sector during Eid-ul-Fitr and Pakistan Day celebrations.
The official announcement declared that both public and private financial institutions would close their operations for a period of four days throughout the holiday season.
The State Bank of Pakistan will close its operations together with Pakistan Stock Exchange, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan SECP and all banks and financial institutions.
The announcement stated that Eid-ul-Fitr holidays will be observed on Friday and Saturday, March 20 and 21. Sunday will be the weekly holiday, and March 23 will be a public holiday to celebrate Pakistan Day.
The State Bank and all banks and financial institutions will start their regular activities again on March 24, according to the statement. The stock exchange will resume its normal trading activities on Tuesday, March 24.
Will SBP issue Fresh Currency Notes?
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has dismissed the claims of issuing a notice titled Non-Availability of Fresh Currency Notes for Eid-ul-Fitr 2026.
An SBP representative declared in his statement that the bank has not made any announcement regarding new currency note releases. The SBP uses press releases as its sole method for public communication, which means the announcement needs to follow the official release process to be recognized as genuine.
He explained that any circulating message claiming otherwise cannot be verified until the State Bank chooses to confirm its contents. He explained that the bank does not distribute such announcements through unauthorized letters or text message notifications.
The social media platform displayed a fake letter which declared that new currency notes would not be distributed, and the fresh note SMS service would not function, and citizens should use digital payment methods.
The source confirmed that no such plan exists and urged the public to ignore unverified messages.
How to Get Fresh Currency Notes for Eid-ul-Fitr
The State Bank of Pakistan has devised an integrated system to ensure fair distribution of new notes, under which citizens can use the 8877 short code service from their mobile phones.
According to this procedure, users have to go to their message box and write their CNIC number and the code of the desired bank branch and send it to 8877, in response to which they will receive a unique transaction code and branch address.
After receiving the code, citizens will visit the relevant bank branch with their original identity card and its photocopy, where the bank staff will usually provide packets of Rs 10, 20, and 50 notes after verifying the code.
Alternative sources and banking facilities
If the 8877 service is busy or the code is not being received due to any technical reason, citizens can also directly contact the manager of their respective bank branch, where banks give priority to their regular customers.
Apart from this, arrangements have been made for the supply of new notes at the State Bank’s own BSC offices in major cities like Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, where notes are given on a “first-come, first-served” basis.
In the last ten days of Ramadan, some banks also put new Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes in their ATMs, which are suitable for giving Eid gifts to the elderly.
