ISLAMABAD: The CDA Chairmanand Chief Commissioner Islamabad Mohammad Ali Randhawa on Saturday announced that digital mode of payment will be made mandatory at hotels, guest houses, petrol pumps, schools and restaurants.

He was chairing a meeting, which was attended by CDA Member Finance Tahir Naeem, senior officers from CDA and ICT and representatives from major commercial banks and telecommunications companies.

The meeting reviewed the measures taken so far to promote a cashless economy in Islamabad. During the briefing, it was informed that comprehensive efforts are underway to display Raast QR codes for all types of transactions in both urban and rural areas of Islamabad.

In this regard, a cashless system has already been successfully introduced in Islamabad’s weekly bazaars, CDA’s One-Window Facilitation Centers and metro and electric buses.

The meeting was informed that over 39,000 vendors and shopkeepers in Islamabad have already become part of the cashless system, and the scope of QR code implementation was being expanded to all marakaz, shopping malls, and Class Three Shopping Centers across the city.

The CDA Chairman emphasised the need for an effective strategy to raise public awareness and promote digital payments. He directed that all stakeholders should provide incentives to both sellers/businesses and consumers to encourage payments via direct QR codes.

He also instructed that seminars should be organised in collaboration with trade unions to listen to the problems faced by traders and provide them with practical guidance.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2025