ISLAMABAD, Apr 17 (APP): The government on Thursday decided to fully digitise the national economy as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif assigned the task to relevant ministries and institutions, and directed the formation of a working group for monitoring and implementation.
The prime minister, chairing a review meeting on digitisation of the national economy, said that improving the national economy and eliminating the informal and parallel economy were key components of the government’s reform agenda.
“We are implementing reforms in an integrated and institutionalized manner to ensure that the change is sustainable and long-lasting. We are restructuring the system along modern lines for Pakistan’s development,” the prime minister said.
He praised the successful implementation of the digital wallet system for distribution of the Ramazan Relief Package, and directed to emulate the system in other sectors as well.
The meeting was informed that, following the Prime Minister’s instructions, the Ramazan package was delivered to the public entirely through digital means. A briefing was given on ongoing and future measures and proposals related to the digitisation of the economy.
It was told that the ICT application had been launched in Islamabad, providing access to over 150 government services. Besides, the volume of payments through the Raast Gateway had significantly increased, and the government, in collaboration with the State Bank, was accelerating efforts to promote its use in daily transactions.
The meeting was also briefed on the government’s five-point plan, which includes: ensuring the collection of digital payments, offering incentives to consumers and businesses to prefer digital transactions over cash, fully digitising government payments, raising awareness on the subject, and implementing a robust data monitoring mechanism.
It was also informed that all federal government payments, including salaries and other billings, were now being processed through the digital system.
To ensure the implementation and oversight of all these initiatives, the prime minister directed the immediate formation of a working group.
The meeting was attended by federal ministers Ahad Cheema, Ali Pervaiz Malik, and Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani, State Bank Governor Jameel Ahmad, and other senior officials.