Commercial bank branches across Pakistan were instructed to remain open until 10pm on September 30 to facilitate payments of government taxes and duties.
The State Bank of Pakistan issued the directions at the request of the Federal Board of Revenue as the month and quarter came to a close.
The extended hours were specifically for government duty and tax collections. They did not amount to a general extension of all normal banking services.
What banks were asked to do
Commercial banks were directed to accept over-the-counter government payments until 10pm.
Relevant branches were also advised to remain available as needed for special clearing arrangements involving National Institutional Facilitation Technologies, or NIFT.
The aim was to ensure that tax and duty payments received late in the day could be processed through the government’s collection system.
The SBP also instructed banks to maintain uninterrupted online channels for these payments, including internet banking, mobile applications and ATMs.
Taxpayers using a digital channel still needed to check that their bank supported the relevant payment method.
Why September 30 mattered
The date coincided with the published income-tax return filing deadline for individuals and associations of persons.
Filing a return and paying a tax liability are related but separate requirements. The extended banking hours were designed to help people make government payments, not to change the filing deadline itself.
Taxpayers visiting a branch needed the correct payment reference and supporting information to complete a transaction.
The special arrangement was limited to September 30. It should not be interpreted as a permanent change to bank opening hours.
The FBR subsequently extended the Tax Year 2026 return filing deadline for affected taxpayers to October 15, but that later filing decision was separate from the SBP’s September 30 banking instructions.