In a major move to liberalize the country’s financial borders, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered the formal expansion of the Roshan Digital Account program. Under the new directive, the digital banking platform—which was previously reserved for overseas Pakistanis—will now be accessible to foreign nationals, international companies, and global institutional investors. This policy shift allows non-Pakistani entities and individuals to invest directly in government securities, Naya Pakistan Certificates, and other local financial instruments, signaling a strategic effort to integrate Pakistan more deeply into the global financial markets.
The Prime Minister’s Office emphasized that this expansion is a key component of a broader mission to promote Pakistan as a transparent and secure destination for international capital. By opening up the RDA infrastructure to a wider global audience, the government aims to leverage its robust digital banking system to drive foreign direct investment. Officials noted that the move is not just about increasing inflows but about building long-term institutional links with international markets, providing global investors with a streamlined, digital-first entry point into the Pakistani economy.
The success of the RDA program has historically been anchored by the 11 million-strong overseas Pakistani community. According to the State Bank of Pakistan, the trust of the diaspora has led to a record-breaking performance in remittances, which reached 38.3 billion dollars in the 2025 fiscal year—a 26.6 percent increase over the previous year. Projections for the 2026 fiscal year are even more optimistic, with inflows expected to climb to 42 billion dollars. These figures place Pakistan as the second-largest recipient of remittances in South Asia and fifth globally, highlighting the critical role these funds play in stabilizing the nation’s external accounts and supporting foreign exchange reserves, which currently stand at approximately 16.3 billion dollars at the central bank.
Since its inception in September 2020 under the “Close While Far” slogan, the RDA scheme has revolutionized how the diaspora interacts with the domestic financial system. It has enabled over 900,000 account holders to manage their finances, invest in the Pakistan Stock Exchange, and access mutual funds without ever needing to physically visit a bank branch in Pakistan. As of February 2026, total investments through these accounts have surged past the 12 billion dollar mark. By extending these same digital conveniences to foreign institutional investors, the government expects to see a similar trajectory of growth and diversification in the country’s investment profile.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has invited global investors to take advantage of these new avenues, asserting that recent structural reforms have created a secure and favorable environment for international business. The expansion of the RDA is seen as a testament to the country’s maturing digital financial ecosystem, which now offers the transparency and ease of use required by sophisticated global institutions. Prime Minister Sharif congratulated the Finance Ministry and the State Bank of Pakistan on this milestone, reiterating that the inclusion of foreign nationals and corporations will significantly broaden the liquidity and reach of Pakistan’s financial markets.
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