Standard Chartered Pakistan has announced a temporary suspension of its credit card services due to scheduled system maintenance, affecting customers nationwide. According to an official notification sent to account holders on Friday night, all credit card-related functionalities will remain inaccessible from 7:00 pm on 26 July 2025 until 5:00 am on 27 July 2025.
The bank has informed users that during this window, clients will not be able to perform transactions, access credit card statements, or manage their cards online. Customers are encouraged to make any urgent payments or bookings in advance of the downtime or plan them after the services resume in the early hours of Sunday.
“Dear Client, Credit Card Services will be unavailable starting 26 July 2025 from 7:00 pm till 27 July 2025 at 5:00 am due to system maintenance. Inconvenience regretted,” the notification read.
This temporary disruption is part of a routine maintenance process that many commercial banks in Pakistan and across the region routinely conduct to improve system performance and ensure the security of digital financial services. Standard Chartered’s regional branches, including those in India, have carried out similar overnight maintenance activities in recent months, reflecting an industry-wide standard practice.
Silkbank and other local institutions have also issued similar advisories to users in recent weeks, indicating that temporary suspensions of digital and card-based services for upgrades and maintenance are becoming increasingly common in Pakistan’s banking sector.
These scheduled maintenance sessions are usually carried out during off-peak hours to limit inconvenience to customers. Such updates allow banks to apply software patches, strengthen security protocols, enhance the speed and performance of platforms, and prepare infrastructure for rising digital demands.
While such interruptions may be inconvenient, especially for those reliant on 24/7 access to card services, financial experts note that regular upgrades are vital to safeguarding customer data and maintaining operational resilience. As digital banking expands rapidly in Pakistan, financial institutions are under increasing pressure to ensure uninterrupted service and robust cybersecurity.
Standard Chartered, one of the country’s leading foreign banks, has significantly invested in its digital banking channels in recent years. However, it, like many others, must frequently upgrade systems to cope with the growing volume of online and card-based transactions, particularly following the country’s post-pandemic shift toward digital finance.
Customers experiencing difficulty during the scheduled downtime are advised to contact the bank’s helpline once services resume or visit the nearest branch for assistance. Those relying on credit cards for essential weekend payments or bookings are strongly recommended to make necessary arrangements before the suspension window begins.
The bank has assured customers that full services will be restored by 5:00 am on 27 July and that the maintenance is part of its ongoing efforts to offer secure and reliable banking services.