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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed authorities to establish time-bound targets for a nationwide digital payments system, as the government accelerates its cashless economy drive.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed government departments to develop a timeline for shifting the country towards a fully digital payments system, as Islamabad steps up efforts to reduce reliance on cash transactions.
The directive was issued during a meeting on the cashless economy held in Islamabad on Friday, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The prime minister called for a defined implementation plan with measurable targets and ordered officials to address problems encountered by people using digital payment services.
Sharif said wider internet availability and affordable access to technology were necessary to expand electronic transactions across the country. He also described the transition to a cashless economy as a major government priority and acknowledged the work undertaken by the Finance Ministry and other state institutions.
The prime minister highlighted the role of Raast QR codes in facilitating payments between businesses and customers. He called for continued government support for the programme and instructed officials to run a public awareness campaign encouraging electricity and gas consumers to pay their bills using QR codes printed on utility bills.
All ministries and public-sector institutions were also directed to ensure that the cashless economy programme was fully implemented.
A briefing to the meeting indicated that the conversion of payment systems across federal and provincial government bodies was progressing. The PMO said most institutions were expected to complete the transition by December 2026.
The briefing also revealed that beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Programme were already receiving all payments through digital wallets. Authorities are separately working on a payment mechanism for locations where internet connectivity is unavailable.
Another measure concerns government disbursements through Asaan Assignment Accounts. From November 15, cheque-based payments under the system will be replaced by transactions through Raast nationwide. Drawing and disbursing officers have already received training for the change, according to the PMO.
The latest instructions follow the government’s broader efforts to modernise the financial system through tax reforms, improvements at the Federal Board of Revenue and greater use of technology.
Sharif established a high-level committee on the cashless economy in June last year. In July this year, he also called for overseas remittances to be shifted fully to digital channels as part of the same initiative.
