Ramadan 2026 Bank Timings in Pakistan Announced

KARACHI: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has announced revised banking hours for the holy month of Ramadan, ARY News reported.

As per the SBP notification, public dealing will be carried out from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM from Monday to Thursday. However, on Fridays, public dealing hours will be from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

All private and government banks are required to follow this schedule strictly throughout the sacred month.

Following the sighting of the Ramadan crescent on Wednesday, the first fast will be observed on February 19. This banking schedule will remain in effect until the end of the holy month.

On the ohter hand, Pakistanis hoping to get the newly designed currency notes around Eid al-Fitr 2026 may be disappointed, as State Bank of Pakistan Governor Jameel Ahmad has said the notes will not be available by the festival.

Speaking to the media, the SBP governor stated that although the new currency designs have been prepared and submitted to the federal cabinet, printing and building stock will take time after formal approval.

He added that the redesigned notes will include the latest security features, enabling ordinary citizens to easily distinguish between genuine and counterfeit currency.

Jameel Ahmad also revealed that major banks from three countries have expressed interest in opening operations in Pakistan. Discussions are ongoing, though he said it would be premature to disclose their names.

Addressing monetary policy, the governor dismissed the perception that a reduction in interest rates directly results in government savings. He explained that lower rates reduce the State Bank’s profits, which are transferred to the government.

Last year, the SBP paid approximately Rs2.4 trillion to the government in profits. However, he expressed hope that lower interest rates would make housing loans more accessible.

He further projected that remittances could reach $42 billion this year, while exports may decline overall. Non-food exports have increased by 5–6 percent, but food exports — particularly rice have fallen. He said government support is expected to help boost rice exports.

The governor noted significant improvement in digital payments, adding that around two million merchants are expected to be digitised this year. Financing for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) has also improved, with an increase of Rs150 billion.