Bank Holidays in Pakistan 2026: Every Date Banks Close, Plus 1 January 2027
Bank holidays in Pakistan 2026: Iqbal Day on 9 November has passed, banks close next on 25 December, and 1 January 2027 awaits notice. See every date.
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Banks in Pakistan have one closure left in 2026: Friday 25 December for Quaid-e-Azam Day and Christmas. Monday 9 November, Iqbal Day, has passed. The next "bank holiday", when branches shut to the public but staff work, has been 1 January in each of the last two years. Every 2026 bank holiday so far, 1 January, 1 Ramazan and 1 July, has already passed.
Update, 4 November 2026: The State Bank's BPRD Circular Letter No. 23 of 2026, dated 3 November, says the State Bank "will remain closed on Monday, November 9, 2026" for Allama Iqbal Day. It was sent to the heads of all banks, DFIs and microfinance banks.
We read every 2026 holiday notice in the State Bank of Pakistan's press release list on 24 October 2026, along with the Cabinet Division's 2026 holiday circular. The table below separates the two kinds of closure people mix up, then lists the dates when banks did the opposite and stayed open late or on a weekend.
A bank holiday and a public holiday are not the same closure
On a public holiday the whole bank closes. On a bank holiday branches close to customers, but the State Bank says "all employees of the banks / DFIs / MFBs will attend the office" as a normal working day. Both are announced by the State Bank a few days ahead.
That difference matters if you need a cheque cleared or a loan file moved. On 1 July, for example, branches were shut to you, but the staff inside were closing the year's accounts. ATMs, apps and internet banking keep running on both kinds of day.
| Date in 2026 | Day | Reason | Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Thursday | New year accounts | Bank holiday | Passed |
| 5 February | Thursday | Kashmir Day | Public holiday | Passed |
| 1 Ramazan | February | Zakat deduction | Bank holiday | Passed |
| 23 March | Monday | Pakistan Day | Public holiday | Passed |
| 1 May | Friday | Labour Day | Public holiday | Passed |
| 26 to 28 May | Tuesday to Thursday | Eid-ul-Azha | Public holiday | Passed |
| 25 and 26 June | Thursday, Friday | Ashura | Public holiday | Passed |
| 1 July | Wednesday | Half-year accounts | Bank holiday | Passed |
| 14 August | Friday | Independence Day | Public holiday | Passed |
| 26 August | Wednesday | Eid Milad-un-Nabi | Public holiday | Passed |
| 9 November | Monday | Allama Iqbal Day | Public holiday | Passed |
| 25 December | Friday | Quaid-e-Azam Day and Christmas | Public holiday | Coming |
Eid-ul-Fitr was a federal holiday on 20 and 21 March, notified by the Cabinet Division on 15 March. The State Bank's release list has no separate notice for it, so it is left out of the table.
25 December is the last bank closure left in 2026
Iqbal Day on 9 November and Quaid-e-Azam Day on 25 December are both public holidays in the Cabinet Division's circular of 19 January 2026. Iqbal Day has now passed. The State Bank closed on 25 December in 2024 and 2025. Its notice for 9 November came on 3 November 2026. The 25 December notice is not out yet, and in the last two years it came a few days before the holiday.
On 24 October 2026 the newest State Bank press release was dated 17 October, and none of them mentioned November or December closures. For Eid Milad-un-Nabi the State Bank posted its notice on 25 August for 26 August. For Christmas 2025 it posted on 22 December. So do not expect anything before the first week of November. Iqbal Day fell on a Saturday in 2024 and a Sunday in 2025, so there is no recent State Bank notice for it to compare with.
The Day after Christmas, Saturday 26 December, is a holiday for Christians only. Most branches are shut on Saturdays anyway. Branch hours on Fridays and Saturdays are in bank timings in Pakistan.
1 January 2027 is expected to be the next bank holiday, but it is not notified
1 January was a bank holiday in 2025 and in 2026. The 2027 date will only be official when the Cabinet Division issues the 2027 holiday circular and the State Bank posts its notice, usually in the last days of December. In 2027, 1 January falls on a Friday.
We read the State Bank's notice of 27 December 2024 for 1 January 2025. It said branches would close for public dealing but "all employees of the banks / DFIs / MFBs will attend the office as usual". The 2026 date is in the Cabinet Division circular for 2026. Plan any branch visit for Thursday 31 December 2026 or Monday 4 January 2027.
Banks stay open late on tax deadlines, and 31 December is the next likely one
At the Federal Board of Revenue's request, the State Bank has kept branches open late or on weekends on five occasions this year so people can pay duties and taxes over the counter. On 30 September 2026 every commercial bank branch stayed open until 10 pm.
- Saturday 31 January 2026: Saturday-opening branches open for tax collection.
- Saturday 28 February 2026: Saturday branches, including NBP customs branches, open 9 am to 1 pm.
- Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 May 2026: Saturday branches open 9 am to 3 pm.
- Friday 29 and Saturday 30 May 2026: all branches to 5:30 pm on Friday, Saturday branches 9 am to 5:30 pm.
- Wednesday 30 September 2026: all branches until 10 pm.
The same happened on 31 December 2025, when all branches stayed open until 10 pm. A repeat on Thursday 31 December 2026 is likely, but it has not been announced. Tax due dates for the next two months are listed in FBR tax deadlines for October and November 2026.
What still works when your branch is shut
ATMs, mobile apps, internet banking and Raast transfers carry on through public and bank holidays. The State Bank's tax-day notices also tell banks to keep online channels running without a break. Cheques and branch-only services wait for the next working day.
- Pay bills and send money in the app or by ATM. Large transfers may still clear only on the next working day.
- If an ATM keeps your card on a holiday, the steps in collecting a captured ATM card still apply, and the working-day clock starts after the holiday.
- Card blocks and fraud reports go through the bank's 24 hour helpline, listed in bank helpline numbers in Pakistan.
One honest warning: fake "bank closed for a week" messages circulate before every long weekend. The State Bank's own press release page is the only place a bank closure is announced.
Common questions
Is 9 November 2026 a bank holiday in Pakistan?
It was a public holiday in the Cabinet Division's circular of 19 January 2026, and it has now passed. The State Bank's circular of 3 November 2026 said the State Bank itself would remain closed that day. The next closure is 25 December.
What is the difference between a bank holiday and a public holiday?
On a bank holiday branches close to customers but staff work. On a public holiday the bank closes completely.
Are banks open on 26 December 2026?
It is a Saturday and a holiday for Christians only. Most branches do not open on Saturdays anyway.
Is 1 January 2027 a bank holiday?
It was in 2025 and 2026. The 2027 date is not official until the State Bank and Cabinet Division confirm it.
Do ATMs and apps work on bank holidays?
Yes. ATMs, apps, internet banking and Raast stay available. Cheques and counter services wait for the next working day.
Will banks stay open late on 31 December 2026?
Probably. They stayed open until 10 pm on 31 December 2025 and 30 September 2026, but no 2026 year-end notice exists yet.
How we verified this
What we checked and where we read it.
We read the State Bank of Pakistan press releases on 24 October 2026: the public holiday notices of 3 February, 17 March, 28 April, 22 May, 23 June, 11 August and 25 August 2026, the bank holiday notices of 17 February and 24 June 2026 and 27 December 2024, and the tax collection notices of 26 February, 22 May, 25 May and 29 September 2026 and 30 December 2025. We also read the Cabinet Division 2026 holiday circular.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
