Islamabad: More than 127 million people in Pakistan are now benefiting from digital banking services, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was informed during a review meeting on the promotion of a cashless economy held on Tuesday.
Officials briefed the meeting that transactions worth PKR 1.6 trillion were processed through Raast by federal and provincial governments between July 2025 and January 2026. The platform has been used for salaries, pensions, and vendor payments as part of the government’s efforts to digitise public sector financial transactions.
The prime minister appreciated the economic team and the State Bank of Pakistan for supporting the transition toward digital payments and expanding access to banking services.
During the meeting, officials also shared progress on the Ramazan relief package distributed through the Benazir Income Support Programme. According to the briefing, 71% of eligible beneficiaries had received financial assistance so far this year.
Officials noted that by the 12th day of Ramazan last year, only 24% of beneficiaries had received payments, compared with over 71% this year following administrative improvements and wider use of digital payment systems.
Representatives from the finance ministry, the central bank, BISP, and the information ministry also briefed participants on measures being taken to expand Pakistan’s digital payments ecosystem, including the introduction of a monitoring dashboard to oversee progress and improve efficiency.digital banking Pakistan, cashless economy, Raast Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, State Bank of Pakistan, Benazir Income Support Programme, digital payments, Pakistan economy, fintech Pakistan, banking sector Pakistan, PKR 1.6 trillion, Ramazan relief package, financial inclusion, e-banking, government payments, digital transactions Pakistan
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