The State Bank of Pakistan has announced special banking arrangements for the collection of government duties and taxes, with designated commercial bank branches set to remain open over the weekend to facilitate taxpayers.

According to an official notification issued on May 22, the move was made on the request of the Federal Board of Revenue to enable taxpayers to make over-the-counter payments of government taxes and duties.

Under the arrangement, Saturday-opening branches of all commercial banks, including National Bank of Pakistan branches handling customs collections, will remain open from 9:00am to 3:00pm on May 23 and May 24, 2026.

The central bank also directed banks to keep relevant branches open for as long as needed on May 24 to support special clearing arrangements for government transactions carried out through the National Institutional Facilitation Technologies system.

In addition to branch operations, SBP instructed banks to ensure uninterrupted availability of digital payment channels, including internet banking, mobile banking apps, ATMs and other electronic platforms, so taxpayers can continue making online payments throughout the weekend.

The measure is aimed at providing greater convenience to taxpayers and ensuring the smooth collection of government revenues ahead of key fiscal deadlines.