Banks in Pakistan to observe extended working hours on Jan 31

2026-01-30 - 13:36

To facilitate taxpayers in making over-the-counter (OTC) payment of Government duties and taxes, it has been decided that Saturday opening branches of all commercial banks (including NBP branches handling customs collection) shall observe extended working hours from 09:00 A.M. to 05:00 P.M. on Saturday, January 31, 2026. On the request of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has directed banks to keep their concerned branches open on January 31, 2026, for as long as required to facilitate the Special Clearing for Government transactions conducted by NIFT. The banks shall also ensure uninterrupted availability of their online payment channels, i.e. internet banking, mobile applications, ATMs, and other digital platforms, to facilitate the online payment of Government duties and taxes. SBP’s foreign reserves increase by $13 million to 16.1 billion