Govt to tighten digital payment user definitions, consider tax reforms under Cashless Pakistan initiative

Profit by Pakistan Today reported that the federal government will review and redefine what counts as an active digital payment user and merchant. The change is intended to make the data behind the Prime Minister's Cashless Pakistan initiative more accurate. Bilal Azhar Kayani also asked private-sector representatives to prepare proposals on tax policy reforms that could encourage wider use of digital payments.

The decisions came out of a high-level meeting chaired by Kayani at the Finance Division on Tuesday. Participants reviewed three measures: how many distinct people actively use digital payment channels, yearly transaction volumes, and businesses that regularly take electronic payments. The meeting was told that merchant acceptance of digital payments rose fourfold in the last fiscal year.

At its service centres nationwide, NADRA has moved 99% of payments to digital channels, and passport offices can take digital payments too. Kayani pressed for dashboard figures that are correct, verified and free of double counting. Bank Alfalah and JS Bank were among the private-sector participants, which also included Easypaisa Digital Bank and JazzCash.