ISLAMABAD (Kashmri English): The federal government has decided to make Islamabad Pakistan’s first fully cashless city and has set a target of connecting all business centers and shopkeepers to the digital payment system by December 31, 2026.
The decision was made at a meeting regarding the implementation of the Cashless Islamabad project, held under the chairmanship of Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry on Friday, the Ministry of Interior said in a statement.
CDA Chairman Sohail Ashraf, banking sector representatives and other senior officials attended.
The state minister said consultation and suggestions from all stakeholders were important for the success of the project, the statement added.
Speaking on the occasion, Chaudhry said Islamabad Capital Territory and Capital Development Authority (CDA) departments will stop accepting cash payments after November 30.
He said that the project is being implemented rapidly on the special instructions of the Prime Minister Shehbaz and the Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
“The Interior Minister had promised the Prime Minister that Islamabad would be made the first cashless city of Pakistan and the world’s first cashless capital,” he was quoted as saying.
“The target is to bring all merchants in Islamabad into the cashless system by Dec 31,” he said.
Talal Chaudhry added that the cashless system will improve financial transparency, tax monitoring, and the transaction system, adding that 26,000 merchants in Islamabad had already been connected to the digital payments system.
“Digital payment facilities will be provided at every level from street vendors to large business centers,” he added. “All relevant institutions will work together to make Islamabad a modern digital city.”
According to the statement, CDA Chairman Sohail Ashraf, representatives of the banking sector and other senior officials attended the meeting.
Representatives of the banking sector appreciated the government’s Cashless Islamabad initiative and assured full cooperation for its success, it added.
