In a significant step toward realizing the Prime Minister’s vision of a Digital Pakistan, Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) and easypaisa Digital Bank have signed an MOU to promote digital financial inclusion across 93 villages under RUDA’s jurisdiction.
The ceremony, held at RUDA Head Office, establishes a framework for cooperation focusing on raising awareness and improving accessibility to branchless banking for residents and small businesses.
Brig (Retd) Bakhtiar Akram, Executive Director Land Acquisition at RUDA, signed on behalf of the authority, while Mr. Shahzad Khan, Chief Business Officer, signed on behalf of easypaisa digital bank.
Through this landmark partnership, RUDA and easypaisa are actively collaborating on the Prime Minister’s Cashless Pakistan Scheme, with a shared vision to position Ravi City as a fully cashless model urban center. This initiative will integrate digital financial solutions into the city’s design, ensuring Ravi City serves as a benchmark for digital innovation, financial inclusion, and modern governance. By embedding cashless infrastructure across residential, commercial, and public sectors, the partnership aims to create an ecosystem where digital transactions become the norm, enhancing transparency, convenience, and economic efficiency.
Speaking at the ceremony, Brig. (Retd.) Bakhtiar Akram emphasized the partnership’s transformative potential. “This collaboration is a perfect example of how technology and development can converge to create tangible impact,” he stated, highlighting the goal of transforming 93 villages into model communities of economic modernity. He reaffirmed RUDA’s commitment to building a future where every citizen can participate in the digital economy, aligning with UN SDGs and the Prime Minister’s vision of a cashless Pakistan.
Shahzad Khan noted that every 5th Pakistani now has an easypaisa account, emphasizing the platform’s deep penetration as Pakistan’s first digital bank. Fatima Ali Khan highlighted the community-first approach, stating, “Financial inclusion is the bedrock of economic empowerment. Through this MOU, RUDA aims to bring unbanked rural populations into the formal digital financial fold through awareness and outreach.” Syed Moazzam Ali elaborated that both organizations will encourage local shopkeepers to become digital hubs, making transactions accessible, transparent, and secure. He further added that beyond financial inclusion, this collaboration holds potential for broader social impact, noting that RUDA and easypaisa can also explore future collaborations on initiatives related to girls’ education and clean drinking water.
Senior officials present included from RUDA: Fatima Ali Khan (Director Special Initiatives, CSR & Diversity), Ahad Yousuf (Director Climate Change), Syed Moazzam Ali (Deputy Director Special Initiatives), and Raza Shahid (Deputy Director PR). From easypaisa, Bilal Saeed Khan (Executive Director, Merchant Business) and Umer Faraz Anjum (Director, Merchant Payments) were also present.