Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered the creation of three special committees to promote a cashless economy across Pakistan. These committees will focus on digital infrastructure, payment innovations, and government payments. Their goal is to make digital payments easier and more accessible for citizens and businesses.
The committees will work on raising awareness about digital systems and improving transactions between public and private sectors. They will also help activate the Pakistan Digital Authority and prepare a national digital master plan. This plan aims to expand digital payment systems throughout the country.
In a high-level meeting chaired by the Prime Minister, he stressed the importance of digital payments. He said digital transactions are cheaper than cash and should be made available to everyone. He directed that the Raast digital payment system be implemented at the federal and provincial levels.
Shehbaz Sharif also highlighted that a transparent economy needs digital transactions. He said successful countries prioritize cashless systems. The Prime Minister asked to use modern technology to build a strong digital payment system and encouraged banks to invest circulating funds into development projects.
The government has started moving financial transactions to the Raast system, which already benefits over 40 million users. A “Smart Islamabad” pilot project aims to make Islamabad Pakistan’s first cashless city. Various ministers, including those for IT and economic affairs, and key officials attended the meeting to discuss these plans.