Islamabad, February 25, 2026: The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat on Wednesday approved the landmark “Virtual Assets Bill, 2025,” marking a significant step toward regulating and formalising Pakistan’s virtual asset sector.
The meeting, chaired by Rana Mahmood-ul-Hassan, was attended by senators Farooq Hamid Naek, Saleem Mandiwalla, Saadia Abbasi, Amir Waliuddin Chishti, Mohammad Abdul Qadir, Samina Mumtaz Zehri, Jan Muhammad, Syed Waqar Mehdi, Afnan Ullah Khan, and Sherry Rehman.
The Government Bill was introduced in the Senate on August 15, 2025, by Tariq Fazal Chaudhary, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, on behalf of Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister for Finance and Revenue. Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb also attended the committee meeting.
During the session, members underscored the importance of the proposed legislation for Pakistan’s evolving financial ecosystem. The bill seeks to establish a dedicated regulatory authority responsible for licensing and supervising virtual asset service providers, with a focus on investor protection, transparency and market integrity.
Following detailed deliberations and clause-by-clause review, the Committee unanimously approved the Virtual Assets Bill, 2025, paving the way for structured oversight of digital and virtual asset activities in the country.
Earlier, the Committee also disposed of a Calling Attention Notice moved by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri regarding findings from the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission’s August 2024 report. The notice highlighted large-scale destruction and displacement caused by floods in Sindh and Balochistan. The matter was addressed after a detailed briefing to the Committee.
