LAHORE: On the direction of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the first meeting of the committee formed to implement the Prime Minister’s Cashless Strategy was held on Thursday at the Civil Secretariat.

The session was co-chaired by Punjab Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman and Minister for Local Government & Community Development Zeeshan Rafiq.

The meeting was also attended by Additional Chief Secretary Ahmed Raza Sarwar, Punjab Board of Investment & Trade (PBIT) chairman, and senior officers of relevant departments.

Briefing the meeting, the ACS said a legislation is being drafted at the federal level to support nationwide implementation of the cashless strategy. At the provincial level, the committee has been tasked with formulating proposals to introduce a QR code payment system for retailers.

These recommendations will be submitted to the Punjab Cabinet for approval and subsequently shared with the federal government.

During the discussion, departmental proposals were reviewed, and consensus was reached that small businesses should be given special relief to facilitate their smooth transition into the cashless regime.

CM: Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz made important announcements while addressing a ceremony in the honour of matric and intermediate position-holders of all nine educational boards of Punjab. She pledged to bear their educational expenses and provide them with laptops, says a handout.

She said the Punjab government will establish Centers of Excellence for boys and girls across Punjab, and will create 6,000 new science, technology, arts, engineering and mathematics labs.

She said the Punjab government will launch a school-transport programme, organise sports competitions in every educational institution and will provide free uniforms to all government school students.

She also pledged to upgrade basic facilities including classrooms, toilets and clean drinking water in every school within the next six months.

Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2025