Bank Timings in Pakistan 2026: Weekdays, Friday, Saturday and Ramadan

Banks in Pakistan follow the State Bank of Pakistan's office week: Monday to Thursday 9:00 am to 5:30 pm, and Friday 9:00 am to 6:00 pm with a long prayer break from 1:00 to 2:30 pm. Saturday is off, except at selected branches. Each bank sets its own counter hours inside that week.

That last point is where most people go wrong. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) fixes office hours for itself and tells banks to follow them. It does not fix one public dealing time for every branch. So your branch may close its cash counter earlier than the office day ends.

We read the SBP's own press releases on timings, Ramadan hours and bank holidays, and the Cabinet Division's list of public holidays for 2026, on 27 September 2026. Every time and date below comes from those documents.

Normal bank timings in Pakistan

The SBP works Monday to Thursday from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm, with a prayer and lunch break from 1:30 to 2:15 pm. Banks follow this office week. Branches then set their own public dealing hours, which must at least match the SBP's field offices.

These hours come from an SBP press release of 6 May 2022, which took effect at once. It says the order stays in force "unless modified or withdrawn". We found no later SBP order that changes the normal week. The Ramadan release of February 2026 also says hours go back to "pre Ramadan timings" after the month.

A "public dealing" hour is the time a branch serves customers at the counter. Staff often keep working after the counter closes. So a branch can be open, with staff inside, while the counter is shut.

Bank timings on Friday

On Friday the SBP works from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, with a longer break from 1:00 to 2:30 pm for Jumma prayers and lunch. Expect counters to stop in that break. Plan Friday bank work for the morning, or after 2:30 pm.

The Friday day ends half an hour later than the other four, and its break is 90 minutes instead of 45. If you need a pay order or a cash deposit before the weekend, the morning gives you the most counter time.

Are banks open on Saturday in Pakistan

Saturday is not a working day in the SBP's order, so most branches are closed. Banks may open selected branches on Saturday in big cities, business centres, markets and ports. Those branches must be on the bank's website and marked inside the branch.

The SBP also opens Saturdays for a set purpose from time to time. On 28 February 2026, for example, it told Saturday-opening branches of all commercial banks to stay open from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm so people could pay taxes and duties at the counter. That was at the Federal Board of Revenue's request. Hajj deposit collections have used the same method.

Collection booths at custom houses and ports stay open 24/7, the SBP says. If you need a bank on Saturday, check your bank's Saturday branch list or call your bank's helpline.

Bank timings in Ramadan

In Ramadan 2026 the SBP set counters from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, Monday to Thursday, and 9:00 am to 12:30 pm on Friday, with no break. The SBP announces Ramadan hours every year, just before the month starts.

In Ramadan the SBP sets counter hours for every bank, not only its own office hours. The order came in a press release dated 18 February 2026, for Ramadan 1447 AH. It said the timings go back to normal after the month on their own.

The first day of Ramadan is also a bank holiday. For Ramadan 2027, expect a fresh SBP press release early in 2027, and do not rely on the 2026 hours until it appears.

Bank holidays in Pakistan in 2026

Banks close to the public on three bank holidays: 1 January, the first day of Ramadan and 1 July. Staff still come to work on those days. Banks also close fully on every federal public holiday the Cabinet Division declares.

1. 1 January 2026, Thursday: bank holiday, closed for public dealing.
2. 18 February 2026, Wednesday (1 Ramazan): bank holiday for the deduction of Zakat, subject to the moon.
3. 1 July 2026, Wednesday: bank holiday, closed for public dealing.
4. Every federal public holiday: the SBP issues a press release and banks close.

The Cabinet Division's circular of 19 January 2026 lists all three bank holidays and says banks stay "closed for public but NOT for their employees". The SBP repeated each one in its own press release before the date.

What is left for 2026, according to that circular:

Islamic holidays move with the moon. Ashura is one example: the Cabinet circular expected 24 and 25 June 2026, but the SBP closed on 25 and 26 June after the final notification. Eid Milad-un-Nabi moved the same way, from an expected 25 August to 26 August. Always check the SBP's release for the final date.

The four-day week did not apply to banks

In March 2026 the federal government ordered a four-day week to save fuel, but its own notification said it "will not apply to banking sector". Banks kept their normal week. The government ended those measures on 19 June 2026, apart from market closing times.

The Cabinet Division's notification of 9 March 2026 set the four-day week for government offices and advised private firms to follow, again leaving out banking. Bank hours did not change. The 9 pm market closing time that still applies covers shops and malls, not banks.

How to check your own branch's hours

Because each bank sets its own counter hours, the only exact answer is your branch's. Use the bank's branch locator on its website or app, or call its helpline. Check the Saturday branch list if you need a weekend visit.

1. Open your bank's official website or app and find the branch locator.
2. Search your city and check the branch's listed hours.
3. For a Saturday visit, open the bank's Saturday branch list.
4. Before a holiday, look at the SBP's press releases page for the closure notice.
5. If still unsure, call the bank's helpline before you travel.

Transfers, bill payments and balance checks work on mobile banking and ATMs all week. If money leaves your account on a holiday without your approval, the steps to recover money from an unauthorised transaction still apply.

Common questions

What are bank timings in Pakistan today?

On a normal weekday, 9:00 am to 5:30 pm with a break from 1:30 to 2:15 pm. Counter hours are set by each bank inside that day, so check your branch.

What are bank timings on Friday in Pakistan?

9:00 am to 6:00 pm, with a prayer and lunch break from 1:00 to 2:30 pm. That comes from the SBP's order of 6 May 2022.

Are banks open on Saturday in Pakistan?

Most are not. Banks may open selected branches in big cities and markets, and must list them on their websites.

Are banks closed on 1 July?

Yes. 1 July is a bank holiday. Banks close to the public, but their staff attend work as usual.

What were bank timings in Ramadan 2026?

Public dealing from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm Monday to Thursday, and 9:00 am to 12:30 pm on Friday, with no break.

Is 1 January a bank holiday in Pakistan?

Yes. The Cabinet Division's 2026 list and the SBP's press release both name 1 January 2026 as a bank holiday.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 27 September 2026. Normal hours, the Saturday branch rules and the 24/7 port booths are read in the SBP's press release "Revised Office Timings" of 6 May 2022. Ramadan hours are in its press release of 18 February 2026. The bank holidays on 1 January, 1 Ramazan and 1 July 2026, and the Saturday tax collection hours of 28 February 2026, are in the SBP's own releases, all on the State Bank of Pakistan website. The 2026 holiday list is the Cabinet Division circular of 19 January 2026 on cabinet.gov.pk, and the four-day week notifications of 9 and 10 March and the ending notification of 19 June 2026 are on the same site. The SBP does not publish the minimum public dealing hours of its field offices in these releases, so we do not state one.