State Bank (SBP) released a notice on Thursday to change banking hours due to the increase in COVID-19 cases in the country.
According to the SBP, working hours have been reduced in accordance with government guidelines.
“In accordance with the decision of the National Command and Operations Center (NCOC) to contain the spread of COVID-19, the Pakistani State Bank will adhere to the following business hours, which will also be adhered to by all banks / DFI / MFB until later orders,” says it in the SBP notice.
The new hours are 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday, while the banks close at 1 p.m. on Friday for Friday prayers. Banks are advised to maintain public hours from Monday to Thursday until 1:00 p.m.
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It should be noted that Pakistan yesterday recorded the highest number of coronavirus deaths since the pandemic began.
A total of 201 new deaths have been recorded, bringing the total number of deaths caused by the virus in the country to 17,530, according to the National Command Operations Center (NCOC), which is overseeing the government’s response to the pandemic. The highest daily death toll to date was 157 on April 23.
