Business Desk 
Jul 03, 2025
An undated image of State Bank of Pakistan building in Karachi.—SBP
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is in the process of launching and facilitating simple digital payment systems and enhanced incentives for small enterprises in relation to the country's transition to a cashless economy.
The progress was revealed during a high-level governmental meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss digital transformation targets and new digital policies.
At the meeting, officials took the opportunity to announce the establishment of three committees, the Digital Payments Innovation and Adoption Committee, the Digital Public Infrastructure Committee, and the Government Payments Committee, to facilitate the government in its ambition to expedite digital adoption across the country.
One of the objectives is to increase the number of users of mobile apps that use digital payments from 95 million to 120 million, as well as increase QR code merchants from 0.9 million to 2 million.
The government is also set to increase the number of digital transactions from Rs7.5 billion to Rs12 billion; however, the Prime Minister requested that departments work towards doubling these objectives for faster outcomes.
Additional new initiatives in the Digital National Pakistan agenda include the launch of a Digital Pakistan ID, e-stamping services in Islamabad, and deploying free Wi-Fi in public hospitals, schools, government buildings, parks, and buses. These facilities will be extended to Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan as well.
