ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed authorities to fully digitise overseas remittances as part of the government’s strategy to accelerate Pakistan’s transition toward a cashless and digital economy.
The directive came during a meeting in Islamabad to review progress on digital payments and measures aimed at expanding the country’s cashless financial system.
Government Pushes Digital Payment Expansion
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, PM Shehbaz instructed officials to strengthen awareness campaigns encouraging merchants to adopt QR code-based digital payments. Moreover, he ordered that remittances from abroad be processed entirely through digital channels.
The prime minister praised the economic team’s efforts in promoting digital transactions over the past year. He said shifting the national economy toward a cashless system would support sustainable economic growth while improving financial transparency.
Furthermore, PM Shehbaz welcomed the 300% increase in active merchants using QR codes for digital payments. The number of merchants accepting digital payments rose to two million between June 2025 and June 2026.
Digital Adoption Shows Strong Growth
During the meeting, officials informed the prime minister that mobile banking app users had increased from 95 million to 137 million within one year. Consequently, PM Shehbaz described the growth as a major achievement and urged banks and financial institutions to play a stronger role in promoting digital financial services.
The premier also appreciated the digitisation of payments under the Benazir Income Support Programme. Officials said all payments to 10 million beneficiaries are now made through digital wallets, making the process more transparent and efficient.
Additionally, the meeting was informed that 99% of National Database and Registration Authority payments have been digitised. Cash transactions at Nadra have declined sharply from 71% to just 1%, reflecting significant progress in the government’s digital transformation agenda.
