Pakistan’s Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunications Shaza Fatima Khawaja has announced the official launch of Pakistan’s first digital wallet-based aid distribution programme, a Rs. 20 billion (US$71 million) initiative rolled out as part of the 2025 Ramadan Relief Package.
Speaking to the media, Minister Shaza said the programme was initiated following direct instructions from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who tasked the IT and food security ministries with finding digital methods to manage government subsidy schemes.
“This initiative is a turning point in how we deliver support to the public – efficient, transparent, and respectful,”
she said.
“The Prime Minister provided us the trust and flexibility needed to build a system that aligns with the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill, moving us toward a fully digitised economy.”
The system issued over 900,000 digital wallets, recording 1.9 million transactions.
These wallets allowed users to make payments for utility bills, mobile top-ups, micro-loans, and insurance products, according to a report by TechJuice.
The shift to digital payments was designed to reduce reliance on in-person queues and manual processing.
A key aim of the project was to increase access to financial services for groups previously excluded from the formal digital economy.
Among the participants were 823,000 women, a development which has been viewed as a step toward reducing the digital gender divide.
More than 2,500 persons with disabilities also joined the system.
“This is more than a one-time relief package,”
said Shaza.
“It’s about fostering long-term digital habits that empower individuals and integrate them into the formal economy.”
A central control room received over 2 million public queries during the rollout.
To ensure transparency and assess the programme’s effectiveness, a third-party evaluation has been commissioned by the Prime Minister’s Office.
The government has described the initiative as a potential model for future public service delivery in Pakistan, using digital tools to improve access, reduce inefficiencies, and streamline welfare distribution.
Featured image credit: edited from freepik
