The State Bank of Pakistan and Pakistan Stock Exchange will remain closed on Friday, August 14, 2026, in observance of Independence Day, a national public holiday declared by the Government of Pakistan. The closure will affect regular operations at both institutions, with the Pakistan Stock Exchange suspending trading activities for the day and the State Bank of Pakistan also remaining closed.
The Pakistan Stock Exchange issued a notice informing all TRE Certificate Holders, staff and other concerned stakeholders that the exchange will remain closed on August 14 on account of the Independence Day of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. As a result, trading activities on the exchange will not take place during the holiday and will resume on the next working day.
The State Bank of Pakistan separately issued a notice confirming that its offices will also remain closed on Friday, August 14. The central bank said the closure was being observed as a public holiday on the occasion of Independence Day, in line with the holiday declared by the Government of Pakistan.
The closure applies to the regular operations of both institutions and is part of the annual observance of Pakistan’s Independence Day. Financial market participants, banks, companies, investors and other stakeholders that conduct activities through the Pakistan Stock Exchange or interact with the State Bank of Pakistan will therefore need to account for the holiday when planning transactions and other market related activities.
For investors and market participants, the closure means that there will be no trading session at the Pakistan Stock Exchange on August 14. Trading will resume on the next working day under the exchange’s normal operating schedule. The holiday will therefore result in a temporary pause in equity market activity rather than a change to the exchange’s regular trading framework.
The State Bank of Pakistan’s closure will similarly pause its regular institutional operations for the public holiday. Normal activities will resume after the holiday in accordance with the central bank’s operating schedule. The announcement provides banks, financial institutions and other stakeholders with advance notice of the closure so that time sensitive matters can be planned accordingly.
The August 14 holiday marks Pakistan’s 79th Independence Day in 2026. Independence Day is observed nationwide as a public holiday, with government institutions and various financial and commercial organisations closing their regular operations to mark the occasion.
The simultaneous closure of the State Bank of Pakistan and Pakistan Stock Exchange ensures that the country’s central banking and securities market institutions observe the national holiday. The Pakistan Stock Exchange’s trading calendar is adjusted for public holidays, while the State Bank of Pakistan also announces closures in accordance with holidays declared by the federal government.
Market participants are therefore expected to complete any necessary transactions, settlements or other time sensitive activities before the holiday or account for the next working day when planning their schedules. The temporary suspension of operations on August 14 will apply for the duration of the public holiday, after which regular activities are expected to resume.
The notices issued by the State Bank of Pakistan and Pakistan Stock Exchange provide confirmation of the holiday arrangements and ensure that stakeholders across the banking and capital market sectors are aware of the scheduled closure. Both institutions will remain closed on August 14, with normal operations and trading activities continuing from the next working day.
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