ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the federal authorities to consult provincial governments for effective and comprehensive implementation of the digital transformation plan, stating that the digitalisation of the economy will help promote transparency.

“All provincial governments, including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, should fully cooperate with the federal government regarding the digitalisation of the economy and cashless economy,” the prime minister said while presiding over a weekly review meeting on Cashless and Digital Economy on Monday.

Meaningful consultation with all stakeholders should be made a permanent feature of this plan, he said. However, he added, the federal government’s digital transformation plan should be further streamlined to ensure targets are achieved within the set timelines.

During the meeting, the prime minister was told the National Digital Commission and the Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA) had been established and necessary rules formulated, while the process to appoint PDA chairperson and members was in its final stages.

Says the transformation will help promote transparency

The meeting was also told that the Merchant Onboarding Framework for digital services was launched on July 25.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, IT and Telecommunication Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Minister of State for Finance and Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani, chief secretaries of all four provinces, GB, and AJK, Islamabad chief commissioner and other officials attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2025