By Asghar Ali MUbarak
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has directed all government institutions to adopt digital tools and include QR codes on every bill, aiming to make transactions easier and more transparent for citizens. The announcement was made during a review meeting focused on advancing Pakistan’s cashless economy.
The Prime Minister stressed the need for swift implementation of digital payment targets, warning that delays could undermine efforts to modernize the country’s financial system. He highlighted the importance of efficiency, transparency, and convenience in all government transactions.
Shehbaz Sharif praised the economic team and the State Bank of Pakistan for promoting digital payments via the RAAST platform, which enables direct salary, pension, and vendor payments at federal and provincial levels. He noted that the Ministry of Finance had successfully processed 1.6 trillion rupees in direct payments between July 2025 and January 2026.
The meeting also reviewed the role of the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), which had distributed Ramadan relief funds to 71 per cent of eligible citizens, providing crucial support during the holy month. Officials reported that over 127 million people in Pakistan are now actively using digital banking services, reflecting a rising adoption of online financial platforms.
Prime Minister Sharif reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening Pakistan’s digital payments ecosystem through coordinated efforts by the Ministry of Finance, the State Bank, BISP, the Ministry of IT, and other institutions, ensuring secure, accessible, and transparent transactions nationwide.
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