LAHORE   -    The Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry has hailed State Bank of Pakistan for accepting its demand of extending bank timings during the holy month of Ramazan.

LCCI President Almas Hyder, Senior Vice President Khawaja Shahzad Nasir and Vice President Faheem-ur-Rehman Saigal said that positive response from the SBP would give a big relief to the business community.

In a letter written to the Governor SBP, the LCCI demanded bank timings from 10am to 4pm during Ramazan instead of the previous practice of 8am to 2pm. Normally, markets open at around 11am due to which most of the business transactions remain unattended that cause huge loss.

“It is good to see that SBP felt gravity of the situation and immediately directed the banks to enhance their working timings in the larger interest of the trade and industry”, the LCCI office-bearers added. They also suggested that timings of export and import-related government offices including banks, ports and customs should be same during Ramazan.