Islamabad: The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has directed all federal ministries, provincial governments, and regulatory bodies to ensure that every retail outlet under their jurisdiction installs and prominently displays Raast QR codes by August 31, 2025. The directive is part of a national push to accelerate the transition toward a cashless economy.
The instruction, issued through the Prime Minister’s Advisor Syed Tauqeer Ali Shah, was formally communicated to key officials including Federal Secretaries, Provincial Chief Secretaries, and heads of various regulatory bodies.
According to sources, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has developed a national implementation strategy that includes rolling out Raast QR codes, Point of Sale (POS), and Soft POS systems at retail and commercial outlets across the country. The aim is to encourage widespread acceptance of digital payments, reduce reliance on cash, and increase transparency in financial transactions.
In support of the strategy, the PMO has called on federal and provincial departments to take swift and concrete steps. These include:
Directing all retail businesses to install and display Raast QR codes
Making digital payment readiness a prerequisite for commercial license issuance and renewal
Establishing a compliance mechanism with penalties for non-compliance
Coordinating with SBP and its regulated entities for implementation support
To streamline coordination and resolve operational issues, Dr. Shazia Ghani, Team Lead for Special Projects & Initiatives, has been appointed as the focal person for this initiative.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance is working on a broader digital payments framework, including a cashless mechanism for Government-to-Person (G2P) and Person-to-Government (P2G) transactions, particularly within State-Owned Entities (SOEs).
The SBP has set ambitious targets for digital financial inclusion, including:
Increasing active digital commerce payment points from 0.5 million to 2 million
Growing mobile/internet banking users from 95 million to 120 million by FY 2026
Doubling digital transactions to 15 billion annually
Ensuring 100% of remittances are received through bank transfers, up from the current 80%
The move signals a major nationwide shift toward digital financial infrastructure and is expected to bring Pakistan closer to a fully digitized, transparent economy.
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