ISLAMABAD, Jun 18 (Alliance News): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday established a high-level committee to accelerate Pakistan’s transition towards a cashless economy and digital financial ecosystem.
Chaired by the prime minister himself, the committee will conduct weekly reviews of progress made on initiatives aimed at enhancing digitization and encouraging digital payments.
Presiding over a meeting in Islamabad, the prime minister emphasized that digitizing the economy is a core component of the government’s reform agenda. He underscored the need to promote digital money transfers and digital payments through policy incentives.
He noted that the federal budget for 2025–26 includes several proposals specifically designed to facilitate the growth of a cashless economy.
The government, he added, is also taking effective measures to curb the informal economy and expand the use of digital financial services in everyday transactions, including shopping and remittances.
Highlighting recent progress, the prime minister said, “During the holy month of Ramazan, the use of digital wallets ensured transparent and efficient delivery of financial assistance to eligible beneficiaries without any human interference.”
He credited digital platforms for enabling fair and timely distribution of government support, which not only enhanced transparency but also boosted public trust.
The premier also pointed to economic indicators, saying the country had witnessed reduced inflation and increased foreign remittances, attributing these improvements to effective policy implementation.
“The bullish trend in the stock market is evidence of investor confidence in the government’s economic roadmap,” he added.
Officials at the meeting briefed the prime minister on ongoing digital payment awareness campaigns for traders and on current projects underway in the Finance and IT ministries to support the shift towards a cashless framework.
The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers Muhammad Aurangzeb, Ahad Khan Cheema, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani, FBR Chairman, and other senior officials.
