The federal government has announced a major change to government payment procedures, deciding to discontinue cheque-based transactions under the Asaan Assignment Accounts (AAA) system from November 15.

Under the new arrangement, all payments through these accounts will be processed exclusively through the Raast digital payment system starting November 16.

The decision was announced during a high-level meeting on promoting a cashless economy chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Officials informed the meeting that Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) responsible for handling government payments had already received training to implement the new system.

The government is also working to expand digital payment arrangements across federal and provincial departments, with most institutions expected to complete the transition by December 2026.

The meeting was further informed that payments under the Benazir Income Support Programme were already being made entirely through digital wallets.

The prime minister directed relevant authorities to address technical difficulties, consumer complaints and internet connectivity issues that could affect the adoption of digital payments.

The initiative forms part of the government’s wider strategy to reduce cash-based transactions and expand electronic payment infrastructure across Pakistan.