ISLAMABAD — Islamabad will become Pakistan's first fully cashless city by December 31, with cash payments set to be discontinued in all departments of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) after November 30. The decision was announced on Friday during a meeting on the "Cashless Islamabad" initiative, chaired by Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry.
Speaking at the meeting, Chaudhry said the government aimed to bring all merchants in Islamabad into the digital payments system by December 31. "The target is to bring all merchants in Islamabad into the cashless system by December 31," he said, adding that 26,000 merchants in the capital had already been connected to the digital payments system. He said digital payment facilities would be introduced at every level, from street vendors to large business centres, while the cashless system would improve financial transparency, tax monitoring and transactions.
"The cashless system will bring improvements in financial transparency, tax monitoring and the transaction system," the minister said. According to the minister, Naqvi had assured the prime minister that Islamabad would be made Pakistan's first cashless city and the world's first cashless capital. The minister further said all relevant institutions would work together to transform Islamabad into a modern digital city.