SBP announces bank timings for Ramazan 2023

KARACHI: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Wednesday announced the timings to be observed by banks during the holy month of Ramazan, ARY News reported.

According to a statement issued by the central bank, these timings will be followed by all banks, development finance institutions and microfinance banks.

Public Dealing timings:

Monday to Thursday – 09:00 am to 2:00 pm without any break

Fridays – 08:30 am to 1:00 pm without break.

Office timings:

Monday to Thursday — 9am to 3:30pm (with prayer break from 2pm to 2:30pm)

Friday — 8:30am to 1pm (without break)

The statement noted that banks will remain closed for public dealing on Friday (March 24) for the purpose of Zakat deduction. “After the holy month, the above timings will automatically be reverted to pre Ramazan timings,” it added.

Earlier, the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee on Wednesday announced that the Ramazan moon had been sighted as the holy month will begin in Pakistan tomorrow (March 23).

The announcement was made after the moon sighting committee met in Peshawar with its head Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad in chair while meetings of other zonal and district committees were also arranged simultaneously.

Addressing a press conference, Maulana Azad said that the committee received moon sighting testimonies from various places in the country, including Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Swabi, Qila Saifullah and Mardan.

“It was unanimously decided that the first of Ramazan would be on March 23,” the committee chairman announced.