Pakistan Moves Toward 100% Digital Payments as PM Sets Time-Bound Targets

Pakistan is accelerating its shift toward a cashless economy after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed authorities to draw up a clear roadmap with time-bound targets for achieving 100 percent digital payments nationwide. Chairing a high-level meeting in Islamabad on Friday, the prime minister said a cashless economy ranks among the government's top priorities, according to the Prime Minister's Office.

During the meeting, Shehbaz instructed officials to resolve the problems faced by users of digital payment services without delay and to ensure that internet access and easy-to-use technology are available to the public across the country. He noted that the Raast QR code payment system is already supporting the cashless push and said it should continue to operate under government patronage.

The prime minister also called for a media campaign encouraging electricity and gas consumers to pay their bills through QR codes printed on utility bills. The move builds on earlier plans to place QR codes on all utility bills, part of a broader effort to familiarise the public with digital transactions and reduce reliance on cash.

All ministries and government institutions have been told to fully implement the cashless economy plan. Most federal and provincial government payments are scheduled to be fully digitised by December 2026, while payments under the Benazir Income Support Programme are already made entirely through digital wallets.

A key milestone is approaching for cheque-based transactions. Payments under Asaan Assignment Accounts will cease on November 15, and from November 16 those payments will move to the Raast digital system nationwide. Drawing and disbursing officers have already been trained for the transition, officials said.

Authorities are also working on a digital payment system designed for areas without internet connectivity, alongside efforts to expand the country's internet infrastructure. The combined measures signal a coordinated push to modernise public finance and bring more of Pakistan's day-to-day transactions into the formal digital economy.