The federal government has decided to make Islamabad the country’s first fully cashless city, with December 31 set as the deadline.
Chairing a meeting in the federal capital, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said consultation and suggestions from all stakeholders are important for the successful implementation of the cashless Islamabad initiative.
The minister said no cash payments will be accepted at any department of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) or the Capital Development Authority (CDA) after November 30.
He said the government aims to bring all merchants in Islamabad into the cashless payment system by December 31. He said around 26,000 merchants in Islamabad have already been connected to the digital payment system.
Talal Chaudhry said digital payment facilities will be provided at every level, from street vendors to major business centres.
Internationally, the shift towards digital payments continues to reshape urban economies, although the pace of adoption varies across countries.
Nordic nations remain among the world's leading markets for digital payments, with Sweden reporting particularly low cash usage.
Mainland China, meanwhile, relies heavily on QR-based mobile payment platforms, particularly Alipay and WeChat Pay, which are widely used for everyday transactions.
