SAUDI REGULATOR TELLS BANKS TO EXTEND ATM CARDS, HALT ACCOUNT SUSPENSION

Sun 12 April 2020:

The Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) directed on Sunday banks to extend the validity of expired ATM cards or those about to expire till June 2, 2020, as part of the country’s efforts of handling the impact of the coronavirus.

SAMA also decided to extend halting the suspension of individual bank accounts due to the expiry of the national identity or the account becoming stagnant.

Anti-coronavirus measures

The Kingdom has taken several measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus since the outbreak of the disease first began earlier this year.

On Saturday, a Kingdom-wide curfew was extended until further notice.

Last Monday, Saudi Arabia imposed a 24-hour curfew and lockdown on the cities of Riyadh, Tabuk, Dammam, Dhahran and Hofuf and throughout the governorates of Jeddah, Taif, Qatif, and Khobar.

Last month, malls were shut down throughout the country with only grocery stores and pharmacies allowed to operate. Restaurants and cafes were banned from serving food or drinks on their premises and could only offer delivery services. Public and private gatherings were also banned in places such as parks and beaches.

Prayers at mosques have also been suspended until further notice.

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