Pakistan has launched its first cashless market in Islamabad’s Sunday market, almost entirely ending the use of cash for buying and selling. The move was followed up by a statement by the prime minister that free WiFi would be given to the nation’s capital to encourage consumers to go digital.
Spread across 25 acres and hosting more than 2,500 stalls .Sunday Market is the largest bazaar of its kind in the capital. Each month, it attracts an estimated 200,000 visitors and contributes between Rs 1.2 to Rs2.4 billions annually to the local economy. With this shift, all of that economic activity will now flow through digital channels—marking a significant step in formalizing everyday commerce.. For many small traders, it represents their first entry into the digital financial ecosystem.
City administrators say the move is part of a larger plan to transform Islamabad into a fully cashless city, with digital payments gradually expanding across markets, services, and public spaces. The transformation of Sunday Market signals not just a technological change, but a cultural shift – where tradition meets innovation and Pakistan joins the digital community.
