Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reiterated that the digitization of Pakistan’s economy is a top priority for his government, stressing that this transformation will significantly enhance transparency and provide greater convenience to the public without incurring additional costs.
Chairing a weekly review meeting on the cashless and digital economy in Islamabad today, Prime Minister Sharif underscored that the fundamental premise of the federal government’s digital transformation plan is to simplify processes and deliver services efficiently to citizens. He directed provincial governments, including those of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, to fully cooperate with the federal government to ensure the effective and comprehensive implementation of this plan.
The Prime Minister highlighted that the government is actively encouraging digital payments and digital fund transfers through various policy measures. He also emphasized the importance of sustained and meaningful consultations with all stakeholders to make this plan a permanent feature of national development.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister was briefed on the progress of economic digitization initiatives, including the establishment of the National Digital Commission and the Pakistan Digital Authority, with necessary rules already formulated. The appointment process for the chairperson and members of the Pakistan Digital Authority is reportedly in its final stages.
The government’s push for a cashless and digital economy is seen as a crucial step towards modernizing Pakistan’s financial ecosystem, broadening the tax base, and reducing corruption. Measures such as the increasing adoption of QR codes for payments, the digitization of remittances, and the development of digital public infrastructure are key components of this ambitious agenda.
