ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) stressed the need to introduce a cashless economy in the capital to promote digital transactions, enhance digital public infrastructure, simplify payment systems, and increase the usage of mobile applications for payments.
In this regard, a high-level delegation of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) comprising Member Finance Tahir Naeem, Deputy DG Enforcement, Dr Anam Fatma, ADC-G Sahibzada Mohammad Yousuf, DG Audit and Accounts, Nazia Abrar and Waseem Malik from Karandaz visited the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI).
They held an important meeting with ICCI President Nasir Mansoor Qureshi, Senior Vice President Abdul Rehman Siddiqui, Vice President Nasir Mehmood Chaudhry, and Executive Members to deliberate on the introduction of a cashless economy in Islamabad and the expansion of the Raast digital payment system.
Speaking on the occasion, Member Finance Tahir Naeem said that under the directions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the government is determined to introduce a cashless economy in the capital to promote digital transactions, enhance digital public infrastructure, simplify payment systems, and increase the usage of mobile applications for payments.
He added that specialized committees have been formed by the Prime Minister to promote cashless transactions, raise public awareness, and streamline government payments through QR codes. He emphasized that the role of ICCI is crucial in sensitizing and preparing the business community for this transition.
ICCI President Nasir Mansoor Qureshi, while hailing the Prime Minister’s initiative, said that such steps would bring transparency and swiftness in financial transactions and contribute positively to the economy. However, he stressed the need for facilitation and awareness sessions instead of enforcement, so that the business community can adopt the new system with confidence.
He reiterated that ICCI, being the premier Chamber of the federal capital, would fully cooperate in this regard and suggested that frequent awareness programs at ICCI should be organized to remove apprehensions and ensure smooth implementation.
He also assured that the business community remains committed to playing its due role in the economic uplift of the country despite prevailing challenges.
Other members of the CDA delegation, including Dr Anam Fatma, Sahibzada Mohammad Yousuf, Nazia Abrar, and
Waseem Malik, also shared their insights, highlighting the benefits of digitalization and the potential of the Raast system to improve efficiency and convenience.
On behalf of the business community, ICCI Senior Vice President Abdul Rehman Siddiqui, along with Executive Members Malik Abdul Aziz and Tahir Ayub, apprised the delegation about the apprehensions of traders and businessmen. They stressed that addressing these concerns is essential to ensure the successful adoption of the cashless economy.
ICCI Executive Members Imran Minhas, Zulqurnain Abbasi, Umer Khayyam Abbasi, Aftab Gujjar, Ishaq Sial and Naveed Satti were also present on the occasion.
The meeting concluded with a consensus that strong collaboration between the government, CDA, and ICCI would be pivotal in achieving the vision of a modern, transparent, and digital Islamabad.
