Pakistan Govt Rolls Out Rs. 20 Billion Digital Payments Initiative to Boost Financial Inclusion

Islamabad: In a groundbreaking step toward a digitized and inclusive economy, Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunications Shaza Fatima Khawaja, officially launched Pakistan’s first-ever digital wallet-based aid distribution programme, a Rs. 20 billion initiative under the 2025 Ramadan Relief Package.

Addressing the media, Minister Shaza announced that the project began through direct instructions from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who delegated ministries of IT and food security to develop modern ways for distributing subsidy programs.

“This initiative is a turning point in how we deliver support to the public — efficient, transparent, and respectful,” said Shaza. “The Prime Minister provided us the trust and flexibility needed to build a system that aligns with the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill, moving us toward a fully digitized economy.”

This initiative represents a significant achievement in history by implementing digital wallets as the main distribution system for assistance. The platform generated more than 900,000 digital wallets through which users maintained 1.9 million digital transactions.

The digital system allowed citizens to pay utility bills and purchase mobile recharge credits and micro-loans as well as insurance products through wallet payments which eliminated queue-based bureaucracy for improved access.

The primary objective of this initiative centered on reaching digitally excluded populations with financial services. Digital wallets became a popular payment method for 823,000 women participants which earned recognition as a major achievement toward digital gender gap reduction during the program. More than 2,500 individuals who are differently abled joined the system to take advantage of the platform which provided accessibility for diverse groups.

“This is more than a one-time relief package,” Shaza emphasized. “It’s about fostering long-term digital habits that empower individuals and integrate them into the formal economy.”

To ensure oversight and accountability, a central control room received over 2 million public calls, and a third-party evaluation of the program has been ordered by the Prime Minister.

The initiative is widely seen as a model for future public service delivery in Pakistan, leveraging technology to create dignified, efficient, and inclusive support systems.