Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday chaired a high-level review meeting on promoting a cashless economy, lauding the federal and provincial governments for shifting salaries, pensions and vendor payments to the Raast digital payment system.
Officials informed the meeting that between July 2025 and January 2026, payments worth Rs1.6 trillion were processed through Raast, Pakistan’s instant payment system overseen by the State Bank of Pakistan. The prime minister praised the Ministry of Finance and the central bank for accelerating digital transactions across public sector institutions.
The meeting was also briefed on progress under the government’s Ramadan Relief Package, with 71 per cent of eligible beneficiaries having received financial assistance so far. Officials noted that during the previous year, only 24pc of payments had been disbursed by the 12th day of Ramadan, while this year’s improved coordination and digital disbursement mechanisms significantly enhanced delivery timelines. The prime minister commended the team of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) for the improved outreach.
Participants were told that the number of individuals benefiting from digital banking services has surpassed 127 million, reflecting growing adoption of formal financial channels.
The prime minister directed all government institutions to ensure QR codes are printed on utility and service bills to facilitate digital payments for citizens. He also instructed relevant ministries to meet digital payment system targets within the stipulated timeframe.
Senior federal ministers, provincial chief secretaries, the SBP governor and other high-ranking officials attended the meeting, where a dashboard briefing was presented on the country’s evolving digital payments ecosystem.
Analysts say the government’s push toward digitisation signals a broader strategy to enhance financial transparency, curb cash-based transactions and strengthen economic documentation.
