SBP Extends Banking Hours for Year-End Tax Payments

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has directed commercial banks to keep designated branches open and observe extended banking hours from June 27 to June 30, 2026, in order to facilitate the collection of government duties and taxes ahead of the close of the fiscal year.

According to an SBP notification issued on June 24, the decision was taken on the request of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to ensure that taxpayers are able to make timely payments through both Over-the-Counter (OTC) banking channels and Alternate Delivery Channels.

Under the revised arrangements, all Saturday-opening branches of commercial banks, along with National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) branches responsible for customs duty collection, will remain operational from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on Saturday, June 27, 2026.

In addition, all branches of commercial banks and NBP branches handling customs-related collections will remain open until 8:00 pm on Monday, June 29, 2026, to facilitate last-minute tax and duty payments.

On Tuesday, June 30, 2026, the same branches will observe further extended working hours and remain open until 10:00 pm.

The SBP has also directed that NBP branches dealing with customs collections remain operational until 11:59 pm on June 30, 2026, to support end-of-day and end-of-year revenue receipts.

Furthermore, banks have been advised to ensure that the concerned branches remain available for as long as required to facilitate special clearing arrangements for government transactions processed through the National Institutional Facilitation Technologies (NIFT) system.

Separately, the central bank has instructed all banks to ensure uninterrupted functionality and availability of digital payment infrastructure throughout the period, including internet banking portals, mobile banking applications, ATMs, and other digital payment platforms, so that taxpayers may continue to make online payments of government duties, taxes, and related fiscal liabilities without disruption.

The extended banking arrangements are part of the government’s broader year-end revenue management strategy aimed at facilitating tax compliance, ensuring smooth payment processing, and maximizing collection of federal duties and taxes before the close of the financial year.