In order to maintain an uninterrupted supply of disinfected cash at banks and ATMs amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has decided to give banks the option to process banknotes through Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) certified machines.

Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the central bank advised banks to quarantine cash collected from the public for fourteen (14) days before re-issuing the same.

The fourteen (14) day quarantine for banknotes was introduced in line with the international practices and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.

However, in view of the availability of a number of banknote disinfection machines and technologies, it has been decided that the banks shall have the option to either continue with the fourteen (14) days quarantine requirements or process banknotes through PCSIR certified machines in lieu of the fourteen (14) days quarantine.

SBP on Friday said that the banks procuring such machines shall ensure that the PCSIR certificate specially mentions the capacity of the machine to disinfect Bacteria and Viruses including the SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19.

The banks opting for procuring disinfection machines etc. shall inform SBP about the machine/ technology deployed by them, the PCSIR certifications, and the detailed process of disinfection within seven (7) days of execution of a contract with the vendor, for information and record.