Date Announced to Make Islamabad Pakistan’s First Cashless City

The Pakistani federal government has announced a target date of December 31 to transform Islamabad into the nation's inaugural cashless metropolis. Talal Chaudhry, the Minister of State for Interior, presided over a meeting to discuss the Cashless Islamabad program, which convened representatives from the City District Government, banking establishments, and other high-ranking officials.

Chaudhry revealed that the Islamabad Capital Territory administration and the Capital Development Authority will discontinue cash-based transactions at all municipal offices starting November 30. The government intends to integrate the entire capital city into the digital payment system by the aforementioned deadline. Presently, approximately 26,000 merchants have become part of this network.

The government's objective extends beyond this initial phase, as they plan to broaden digital payment accessibility to encompass all segments of the population, from street vendors to large commercial enterprises. It is anticipated that this transition will enhance fiscal transparency, tax oversight, and transaction mechanisms. Chaudhry affirmed that Minister Mohsin Naqvi of the Interior Ministry had pledged to Prime Minister Imran Khan that Islamabad would become Pakistan's first cashless city and the world's first cashless capital.

The banking sector expressed its support for the initiative and pledged full cooperation. Chaudhry emphasized that the participation of all stakeholders would be crucial to the project's achievement.