KARACHI: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has announced a nationwide bank holiday on January 1, 2026, with all banks and financial institutions closed to the public on the first day of the new year.
In an official statement issued on Tuesday, the central bank said that commercial banks, development finance institutions (DFIs), and microfinance banks (MFBs) will suspend public-facing operations for the day. However, the SBP clarified that employees of these institutions will report to their offices as per routine working hours.
The annual bank holiday is observed to allow financial institutions to complete year-end accounting, reconciliation, and system updates before commencing operations for the new financial year.
While customer services at branches will remain unavailable on January 1, digital banking channels such as ATMs, mobile apps, and online banking platforms are expected to continue functioning, subject to individual bank systems.
Normal banking operations for public dealing are set to resume following the holiday, ensuring continuity in financial services after the year-end transition.
