Pakistan's government wants a roadmap, with dates and targets, for moving the country to fully digital payments. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif gave the instruction on Friday 6 November 2026 at a meeting in Islamabad on the government's cashless-economy plan, and named the Raast QR code as a main tool for payments between customers and merchants.

What happened

According to ProPakistani and TechJuice, both citing the Prime Minister's Office, the prime minister asked for:

  • a clear roadmap with time-bound targets for a 100% digital payments system;
  • quick action on complaints from people using digital payment services;
  • nationwide internet access and easier access to technology, so more people can pay digitally;
  • continued government backing for merchant payments through Raast QR codes;
  • a media campaign encouraging electricity and gas customers to pay with the QR codes printed on their bills.

Officials told the meeting that payments in most federal and provincial government institutions are due to be fully digital by December 2026, and that Benazir Income Support Programme payments already go entirely through digital wallets. Cheque payments through Asaan Assignment Accounts are to stop on 15 November and move to the Raast system from 16 November. Work is also under way on a way to pay digitally in areas without internet. The Express Tribune reported the same directions.

Why it matters

Raast is the State Bank of Pakistan's instant payment system. A QR code at the till lets a shop be paid straight into its bank account without a card terminal, which matters most for small merchants. A government push, with dated targets and its own payments moving first, usually brings more shops and customers onto the same rails.

For businesses selling online in Pakistan, the practical effect is that more customers will expect to pay by QR or bank transfer rather than cash on delivery. The roadmap itself has not been published yet, so the targets and deadlines it sets are still to be seen.

What to watch

  • The roadmap document and which targets it sets for private merchants.
  • Whether the 15 November switch for Asaan Assignment Accounts happens on time.
  • The offline payment system for areas without internet.

How this relates to Quantumines

Quantumines is a product studio based in Lahore. Its restaurant ordering service takes orders online, and its client websites often need local payment options, so a wider move to digital payments in Pakistan is relevant to that work. Raast and crypto payments are separate systems; nothing in this announcement concerns CryptoMerchant or crypto.

Sources: ProPakistani, 6 Nov 2026; TechJuice, 7 Nov 2026; The Express Tribune, 7 Nov 2026; all read on 8 Nov 2026. Related: Stripe stablecoin payouts to wallets and about Quantumines.