In a landmark move for Pakistan’s digital payments ecosystem, PayFast has joined forces with Unity Retail and SLGTrax to introduce Rah-e-Raast — the country’s first merchant-friendly Raast QR payment solution. The collaboration marks a major step forward in driving seamless, secure, and cashless transactions across the e-commerce and logistics sectors, aligning with the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) vision of accelerating digital financial inclusion nationwide.
The newly launched Rah-e-Raast platform leverages the interoperability of the Raast payment system — Pakistan’s first instant payment gateway — to simplify last-mile payment collections. By printing Raast-enabled QR codes directly on parcel airway bills, merchants and logistics companies can now facilitate instant digital payments at the customer’s doorstep. This innovation eliminates the need for cash handling, reduces payment delays, and enhances transactional transparency between merchants, couriers, and end consumers.
According to PayFast, the initiative is designed to transform the way online payments are managed in Pakistan’s growing e-commerce landscape. It allows customers to make secure, real-time payments simply by scanning the QR code on their parcels, creating a frictionless experience that bridges digital convenience and operational efficiency. For merchants, this development represents a critical step toward optimizing cash flow and reducing operational risks associated with traditional cash-on-delivery (COD) models.
Rah-e-Raast’s introduction also highlights the evolving collaboration between fintech companies, logistics providers, and retail technology platforms in Pakistan. Mohammed Atif Sami from Unity Retail led the execution of this partnership, while Muhammad Hassan Khan from SLGTrax played a key role in facilitating the logistics integration. The initiative exemplifies how cross-industry partnerships can drive innovation and unlock new digital payment use cases in Pakistan’s commerce and logistics sectors.
Adnan Ali, CEO of PayFast, emphasized that this collaboration is just the beginning of a broader transformation in how Pakistan approaches digital payments. He noted that the interoperable infrastructure of Raast presents immense potential for the industry to innovate across various verticals — from e-commerce and logistics to utilities and small-scale retail. The goal is to create a faster, more inclusive, and sustainable digital payment experience that benefits consumers, merchants, and service providers alike.
Rah-e-Raast directly supports the State Bank of Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to promote the adoption of Raast in everyday transactions. The SBP’s broader agenda focuses on building a cashless Pakistan by providing citizens and businesses with accessible, low-cost, and secure digital payment channels. Initiatives like this not only enhance financial inclusion but also contribute to the formalization of the economy by bringing more digital transactions into the regulatory fold.
Industry experts view Rah-e-Raast as a timely innovation that addresses long-standing inefficiencies in Pakistan’s e-commerce and delivery ecosystems. With a rapidly expanding base of digital consumers, the demand for reliable, real-time payment options has grown significantly. The integration of Raast QR payments into logistics workflows is expected to accelerate digital adoption, minimize cash dependency, and set new standards for merchant convenience and operational transparency.
As Pakistan moves closer to achieving a fully digital economy, collaborations like PayFast, Unity Retail, and SLGTrax’s Rah-e-Raast initiative represent the kind of forward-looking innovation needed to power the next phase of fintech growth and digital inclusion across the country.
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