Karachi, December 30, 2025 – The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Tuesday announced that all banks across the country will remain closed for public transactions on Thursday, January 1, 2026, in observance of a bank holiday. The circular issued by the SBP aims to inform the general public and banking customers to plan their financial activities accordingly.
According to the official SBP notification, the bank holiday will apply to all commercial banks, Development Financial Institutions (DFIs), and Microfinance Banks (MFBs) in Pakistan. During this period, no public dealings, including cash withdrawals, deposits, or other banking transactions, will be conducted at bank branches.
However, the circular clarified that all employees of banks, DFIs, and MFBs will report to their offices as per normal working hours to carry out internal operations, ensure system maintenance, and manage essential banking processes behind the scenes. This ensures that banks are fully operational for business and technical purposes despite being closed for public services.
The SBP also advised customers to plan their financial activities in advance, such as online banking transactions, bill payments, and fund transfers, to avoid inconvenience on the holiday. Analysts said that such holidays are standard practice in Pakistan to allow banking staff a short break while maintaining essential operations internally.
Banking customers are encouraged to utilize digital banking platforms, ATMs, and online banking services during the holiday, as these services will remain functional. With this announcement, the SBP ensures smooth communication with the public and maintains transparency regarding banking operations.