Islamabad, August 17, 2025 – Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif was briefed on Sunday that in the near future, all payments across Pakistan will be routed through digital identities, marking a major step toward the country’s transition to a modern cashless economy.
Chairing a high-level review meeting, the Prime Minister was informed that digital identifications will be established under the Pakistan Digital Public Infrastructure (PDPI). These IDs will be integrated with a citizen’s national identity card, biometric data, and registered mobile phone numbers. Once operational, they will enable seamless digital payments for both government and private sector transactions.
The Prime Minister stressed that digitization of the economy is among the government’s top priorities and reiterated his commitment to moving away from cash-based dealings. He expressed satisfaction over the progress made so far in promoting a cashless and digital framework. Shehbaz Sharif directed provincial Chief Secretaries to extend complete cooperation in extending the Raast instant payments system down to the district level, ensuring broader outreach.
Officials briefed the meeting that provincial administrations have already made notable progress in linking public-to-government and government-to-public payments through Raast. This will allow citizens to directly transfer money to government departments without middlemen, enhancing transparency and reducing leakages.
On the infrastructure side, the Capital Development Authority has already allocated right-of-way permissions for fiber optic connectivity to support the nationwide rollout of the PDPI. Simultaneously, negotiations are ongoing with Pakistan Railways and the National Highway Authority to extend the digital backbone across major routes.
The meeting was attended by key federal ministers, including Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Khan Cheema, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, IT and Telecommunication Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, as well as senior advisers and state ministers.
The government hopes that the establishment of secure digital identities and the widespread adoption of digital payments will not only simplify transactions but also bring millions of citizens into the documented economy, boosting efficiency and financial inclusion.