ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed that the federal government is giving top priority to the digitalisation of the economy, aiming to gradually reduce reliance on cash and move financial transactions onto secure, technology-driven platforms.
Presiding over a high-level review meeting on Sunday, the premier instructed provincial chief secretaries to extend full cooperation in rolling out the Raast digital payment system down to the district level. He noted with satisfaction that progress so far has been encouraging, stressing that digitisation will not only improve transparency but also boost economic efficiency.
Officials briefed the meeting that Pakistan is in the process of developing a comprehensive digital public infrastructure. This will include the creation of digital IDs for every citizen by integrating national identity cards, biometric verification, and mobile numbers. Once operational, the system will facilitate faster, safer, and more efficient electronic payments.
It was further highlighted that provincial governments have already made significant headway in linking various government-to-public and public-to-government payments with the Raast platform. Federal development bodies, meanwhile, have granted rights of way to enhance fibre optic connectivity, while negotiations are ongoing with Pakistan Railways and the National Highway Authority to extend digital infrastructure across the country.
Prime Minister Sharif emphasised that expanding Raast and ensuring universal access to digital finance would be key steps toward building a modern, cashless economy.
