SBP changes bank timings due to COVID-19 outbreak

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) changed on Thursday the banking hours owing to the rampant increase in the coronavirus cases.

According to the notification issued in this regard, the working hours were cut short under the federal government directives.

“In line with the decision of National Command & Operation Centre (NCOC) to contain the spread of COVID-19, the State Bank of Pakistan will observe the following office hours, which will also be followed by all banks / DFIs / MFBs till further orders,” the SBP notification read.

The new timing will be from 9 am till 2 pm in days Monday to Thursday, without a break. However, for Friday, the timing will be from 9 am to 1 pm, due to the Friday sermon, said the new announcement today.

The National Coordination Commitee had last week ordered to limit working hours till 2pm as part of its strategy to control the virus spread.

It should be noted here that keeping in view the swamping infections, the government is mulling over imposing a lockdown in 20 cities from 2/3 May.

A list mentioned 20 cities across Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Azad Jammu, and Kashmir, where the coronavirus situation is extremely bad and the restrictions imposed by the authorities have failed to control the virus spread.

The cities where the lockdown might be imposed include Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Bahawalpur, Hyderabad, Peshawar, Dir Lower, Mardan, Nowshera, Malakand, Charsadda, Swat, Swabi, Muzaffarabad, Sudhnuti, Poonch, and Bagh.