Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed that all money sent by overseas Pakistanis should be processed through digital channels to help Pakistan move towards a cashless economy and improve financial transparency.

Chairing a meeting on digital payments, the prime minister praised the economic team for increasing the number of businesses accepting QR code payments by 300% over the past year. He also welcomed the rise in mobile banking users from 95 million to 137 million.

Shehbaz Sharif instructed authorities to expand awareness campaigns so more businesses and people use QR code payments. He also asked banks and financial institutions to play a bigger role in promoting digital transactions across the country.

The prime minister appreciated the decision to shift Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) payments to digital wallets, saying the new system is faster, more transparent, and easier for beneficiaries.

Officials informed the meeting that between June 2025 and June 2026, the number of merchants receiving digital payments reached more than 2 million. They also said 99% of Nadra payments are now made digitally, while cash payments have dropped from 71% to just 1%.

The meeting was told that all payments to 10 million BISP beneficiaries are now made through digital wallets. During the past year, Pakistan recorded 11.9 billion digital transactions, and 92% of remittances sent by overseas Pakistanis were received through digital channels.

Officials also said an independent review of the cashless economy programme is underway, with a final report and recommendations expected in November 2026. The Pakistan Banks' Association has also set targets for banks to encourage digital payments, including the use of the Raast instant payment system.