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The Ministry of Finance has directed administrative ministries and regulatory bodies to provide immediate updates on the rollout of Raast QR codes across public utility companies, following the State Bank of Pakistan’s official launch of the digital payment system.
The ministry issued formal letters to department heads and regulatory chairpersons, demanding accelerated implementation of the Prime Minister’s digital payment initiative. Officials stressed that the government will no longer tolerate delays in modernizing Pakistan’s payment infrastructure.
Mandatory Integration Across Key Sectors
Utility providers in electricity, gas, and telecommunications now face binding directives to integrate Raast QR codes into their billing systems. The Cabinet Division, Power Division, Petroleum Division, and Interior Division must coordinate with banks to embed dynamic QR code generation technology.
The State Bank’s Raast Instant Payment System, backed by Karandaaz, processes Person-to-Government and Person-to-Business transactions through real-time, secure channels. Users scan QR codes via mobile banking apps for instant bill payments.
Concrete Benefits Drive Policy Push
The initiative targets three critical improvements:
- Customer convenience through instant, interoperable payment options
- Operational efficiency by eliminating cash handling burdens for service providers
- Financial transparency through enhanced government receipt tracking
Utility companies must now coordinate with partner banks to integrate QR generation systems and ensure codes appear on consumer bills. The ministry expects detailed implementation timelines from all affected divisions.
The government positions this mandate as essential infrastructure for Pakistan’s broader digitalization agenda, moving beyond traditional payment methods that create administrative bottlenecks and limit transaction visibility.
