SBP Launches ‘Go Cashless’ Campaign in Cattle Markets Ahead of Eid-ul-Adha 2025

As Eid-ul-Adha 2025 draws near, Pakistan’s largest cattle markets, including Karachi’s famous Sohrab Goth mandi, are seeing a major shift in how sacrificial animals are bought and sold. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has kicked off the Go Cashless Campaign to encourage digital payments in 54 officially designated cattle markets across the country.

The campaign, which runs from May 20 to June 6, aims to minimize reliance on cash and promote digital financial inclusion. Buyers and sellers are now being urged to use mobile wallets, QR codes, and banking apps for transactions.

This move is expected to reduce the burden on physical cash, offer secure and traceable payment options, and create a more transparent marketplace during one of Pakistan’s busiest seasons.

The initiative, launched in collaboration with the banking sector, focuses on shifting financial habits towards digital modes. “Our goal is not just to make Eid transactions safer, but to bring a long-term behavioral change when it comes to financial habits,” an SBP representative shared.

Special arrangements have been made in Karachi’s Sohrab Goth cattle market, Asia’s largest, where awareness booths and digital kiosks are available to guide vendors and buyers in using electronic payment systems smoothly.

The campaign represents more than just a technological upgrade. It promotes ease, safety, and a vision for a digitally empowered Pakistan. As mobile banking and UPI usage rise, this initiative could mark a major transformation in how religious festival transactions are handled.