Pakistan has recorded a 306% increase in active digital commerce payment points under the government’s Cashless Pakistan Initiative, with the total reaching 2.03 million by June 2026. The figure compares with a baseline of 500,000 payment points and includes 1.73 million merchants actively using Raast QR payments. The progress was outlined in a Finance Ministry document submitted to the National Assembly, which detailed the government’s efforts to expand digital transactions and reduce reliance on cash. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is monitoring implementation through four key performance indicators, covering payment acceptance points, digital users and transactions, and the digitisation of financial flows.
The document also reported an increase in the number of users accessing mobile, internet application and digital banking services. Their combined number rose to 137 million from a baseline of 95 million, reflecting wider adoption of digital financial channels. Digital transactions increased to 11.9 billion from 6.9 billion, while the share of remittances credited directly to bank accounts and digital wallets reached 92%, compared with the earlier baseline of 80%. These indicators show progress across several parts of the digital payments ecosystem, including merchant payments, customer access to financial services and the delivery of money through formal digital channels.
Government-to-person (G2P) payments have also expanded significantly through Raast and digital banking channels. Disbursements processed through centralised government entities increased from Rs472 billion in July 2025 to Rs4.402 trillion in June 2026. The latest amount represented 76% of total disbursements by federal and provincial governments, as well as the governments of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. More than 84% of G2P transaction volumes, accounting for 39.5 million transactions, were being processed through Raast. The growing use of digital channels in government payments can help reduce dependence on physical cash distribution and improve the traceability of transfers, although the long-term results will depend on reliable implementation and continued access for beneficiaries.
The government has extended Raast integration and digital payment processing to several major self-accounting entities. These include the Central Directorate of National Savings, Pakistan Post Office Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Geological Survey of Pakistan and provincial forest departments. Of the Rs1.669 trillion allocated to these entities, Rs1.247 trillion, equivalent to 75%, had been disbursed through digital and Raast-based payment channels. This expansion indicates that the initiative is moving beyond routine government transfers to include a wider range of public sector organisations. Integrating these entities into digital payment systems is intended to improve the handling of public funds and make transactions easier to monitor.
Further measures have been introduced to increase the use of digital payments in routine public services. According to the Finance Ministry document, domestic billers are required to introduce QR codes to support digital payment acceptance. Payments under the Benazir Income Support Programme were also shifted directly to beneficiaries’ digital mobile wallets in July 2026. The move is intended to facilitate direct transfers and expand access to digital financial services among recipients of government assistance. However, successful adoption will also depend on beneficiaries having access to suitable mobile services, the ability to use digital wallets and support when they encounter payment or account-related problems.
Digitisation across state-owned enterprises is progressing at a different pace depending on the type of payment. The document reported that 34% of government-to-person payments and 18.4% of person-to-government payments had been digitised by value. The Finance Ministry has established a dedicated data collection portal to monitor implementation and identified 25 high-impact entities for accelerated progress. Technical integration with the remaining entities, including Pakistan Railways and Ehsaas Assignment Accounts, is ongoing. These steps are intended to help government departments track their progress against the initiative’s targets and identify areas where additional technical work is required.
The government remains on track to achieve full digitisation of public sector payments by December 2026, according to the document. Reaching this target will require the remaining entities to complete their technical integration, while government departments and service providers continue shifting transactions to digital channels. The increase in active payment points, merchant use of Raast QR codes, digital transaction volumes and electronic government disbursements demonstrates progress under the Cashless Pakistan Initiative. The next stage will depend on extending coverage to outstanding organisations and ensuring that digital payment systems remain accessible, dependable and practical for citizens, merchants and government institutions.
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