Karachi: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Wednesday announced its agreement to the reopening of select commercial and microfinance bank branches across the country tomorrow (May 27), based on the concerned banks’ discretion, according to a news report.
The SBP made this decision in light of the extended Eid-ul-Fitr holidays, where banks will remain closed from May 22. The decision allows the public to have access to limited banking services during these ‘off days’. Therefore, the banks will select which branches to reopen in various commercial hubs and business centres at their own discretion.
However, Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) services and clearing through the National Institutional Facilitation Technology (NIFT) will not be functional – these services will reopen from May 28. Meanwhile, the SBP instructed the banks to deploy the minimal number of staff necessary to carry out the operations tomorrow to prevent the spread of coronavirus in bank branches.
