ISLAMABAD: The capital took a visible step toward a digitally-run city on Friday with the launch of Pakistan’s first fully cashless weekly bazaar in Sector H-9, a pilot designed to phase out physical currency from routine transactions.
The inauguration drew the heads of the Capital Development Authority, State Bank officials, representatives of Zindigi and members of the city administration. CDA Chairman Muhammad Ali Randhawa spent time walking through the stalls, testing the system by making purchases exclusively through digital payment channels.
Shoppers were briefed on how electronic transactions reduce the friction of carrying cash, add traceability, and cut down the risk of petty fraud. Vendors participating in the pilot offered special discounts to encourage people to try the system.
Speaking to APP, Randhawa said the H-9 experiment will not remain confined to a single market. The plan is to extend cashless systems to commercial centres, hospitals, restaurants and eventually Islamabad Airport. He pressed banks to provide traders and buyers with tools and support that make electronic payments effortless rather than intimidating.
He also directed officials to run a public awareness campaign so the shift does not leave citizens guessing.
The rollout, he said, is part of a broader government push led by the prime minister and interior minister to make Islamabad the country’s first fully digital city, arguing that digital payments promise cleaner transactions, reduced fraud and easier business for both small traders and larger institutions.
