Pakistan showcases digital social protection at World Bank Roundtable

April 18, 2026 (MLN): Pakistan has highlighted its Digital Public Infrastructure journey and the digital transformation of the Benazir Income Support Programme as models for delivering social protection, with the Finance Minister underlining that digital social protection is not merely a payment mechanism but a vehicle for financial inclusion and long-term economic empowerment.

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, participated in a roundtable titled "Delivering Social Protection Digitally: Lessons and Innovations from Pakistan, Middle East and North Africa," organized by the World Bank on the sidelines of the World Bank–IMF Spring Meetings in Washington, D.C, according to a press release issued.

Opening the session, the Finance Minister drew a parallel between COVID-19, described as the largest demand shock in recent history, and the ongoing Middle East conflict, which he characterized as the largest supply shock.

He noted that countries that had invested early in governance and technology were better positioned during COVID-19 and that Pakistan is now reaping similar dividends from its digital infrastructure as it navigates the current energy supply shock.

The Finance Minister highlighted that targeted digital subsidies for two-wheelers, public transport, and small farmers are being disbursed seamlessly through an established digital payments ecosystem already in place.

He emphasised that by enabling beneficiaries, particularly women, to access formal bank accounts and transact digitally, Pakistan is building the foundation for long-term economic participation and greater documentation of the informal economy.

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