Govt to highlight Z-Wallet initiative on cashless economy soon: Tarar

ISLAMABAD: The government will highlight the newly launched Z-Wallet initiative at the next high-level meeting on the cashless economy as a model for collaboration between the financial, telecom and technology sectors, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said on Monday.

Speaking at the launch of Z-Wallet, a collaborative initiative of Zindigi, Zong and JS Bank, Tarar said the government was seeking to accelerate the shift towards a cashless economy by integrating technology with financial services, with a focus on financial inclusion, transparency and easier access to digital payments.

He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had constituted a high-powered committee on the cashless economy and was personally chairing it, reflecting the government’s emphasis on expanding technology-driven financial services.

Tarar said the Z-Wallet initiative would be highlighted at the committee’s next meeting and included in communication from the Prime Minister’s Office so that other institutions and industries could consider similar models of collaboration.

“The government not only welcomes the initiative but also fully backs it,” he said, adding that partnerships bringing together internet banking, telecommunications and technology could help extend financial services to a wider segment of the population.

The minister said the convergence of telecom connectivity, digital technology and banking services was increasingly important as Pakistan sought to expand financial inclusion and reduce dependence on cash.

He described the partnership between Zindigi, Zong and JS Bank as an example of cross-industry collaboration that could make financial services more accessible and convenient for consumers.

Referring to the government’s broader technology agenda, Tarar recalled initiatives undertaken during Shehbaz Sharif’s tenure as Punjab chief minister, including the establishment of the Punjab Information Technology Board, introduction of video-conferencing facilities in the public sector and the laptop scheme.

He said digital infrastructure and access to technology later proved particularly important during the Covid-19 pandemic, when businesses shifted towards remote working and educational institutions adopted online learning.

Tarar said the government would continue supporting collaboration between technology companies, telecom operators, banks and other industries where such partnerships contributed to digitalisation and financial inclusion.

He added that combining technology with financial inclusion was now essential to making financial services simpler and more accessible to citizens.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026