ISLAMABAD – Pakistan is taking major step towards cashless economy. From mid-November, cheque payments through certain government accounts will end, and payments will shift to the Raast digital system.
The federal government moves to replace traditional cheque-based transactions with digital payments, setting November 15, 2026, as the deadline for discontinuing cheques through Easy Assignment Accounts. Under new arrangement, payments through the affected government accounts will shift to the State Bank of Pakistan’s Raast digital payment system from November 16, marking a significant step in the country’s drive towards a cashless economy.
The decision comes as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif intensifies efforts to digitise public-sector transactions, reduce paperwork, improve financial transparency and accelerate the adoption of electronic payments nationwide. The major policy shift was discussed during a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, where senior government officials reviewed the progress of Pakistan’s cashless economy initiative.
Federal ministers, State Bank of Pakistan Governor, provincial chief secretaries and other senior officials attended the meeting, which focused on expanding digital financial services and bringing government departments under a unified electronic payment framework.
PM Sharif declared that building cashless economy remained a central priority of his government, noting that ongoing reforms had begun showing promising results. He instructed relevant authorities to prepare a clear, nationwide roadmap for converting all payments to digital channels, with measurable targets and implementation responsibilities assigned to each department.
Sharif also made it clear that federal ministries and public institutions must accelerate the transition rather than allow administrative delays to slow down the process.
The change will replace paper-based payment procedures with electronic fund transfers, potentially reducing processing delays, administrative burdens and dependence on physical banking instruments.
To ensure the new arrangement becomes operational without disruption, the government has already completed training for Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs), who handle financial disbursements across public institutions.
The decision concerns specified government Assignment Accounts and does not constitute a nationwide ban on personal or business cheques. During the briefing, officials informed the prime minister that federal and provincial departments were making substantial progress towards eliminating conventional payment processes.
For government employees and departments responsible for financial disbursements, the November 16 transition will introduce a new mechanism for processing payments through the designated accounts. For citizens, the wider digital payment programme is intended to create greater convenience when paying utility bills, receiving government assistance and accessing financial services.
