Govt moves to continue subsidy for Raast QR payments

The government will continue subsidising merchant discount charges on Raast QR payments, the finance ministry said on Friday, following a decision by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The measure is intended to encourage more merchants to adopt digital payment systems.

At a meeting with bank executives, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani discussed progress under the Cashless Pakistan Initiative, including digital payments and government payment digitisation. He asked the State Bank of Pakistan to consult bank digital chiefs, Raast’s CEO and Karandaaz on practical proposals to improve user experience and widen QR payment use. The consultations are to inform the Prime Minister’s Cashless Committee, which is revising its indicators and targets.