KARACHI: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has made it compulsory for all fuel stations nationwide to adopt the Raast QR code digital payment system by January 31, 2027, ARY News reported. Alongside the digitalization mandate, the central bank announced significant fee concessions on card transactions to drive cashless adoption within the petroleum sector.
The directive applies universally to large and small petrol pumps across the country. To ease the transition for fuel dealers, the SBP restructured the fee framework: the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) for card payments on petroleum products has been capped at Rs 1 per litre, while the interchange fee is limited to a maximum of 20 paisa per litre. These special discounted rates will remain effective until the January 2027 deadline and apply to all domestic bank cards.
Commercial banks, microfinance banks, and digital wallet operators have been instructed to collaborate closely with petrol station owners to ensure seamless integration and full functionality of Raast QR facilities. Currently, over 15,000 operational fuel stations exist across Pakistan, with POS machines largely restricted to major urban centers. This initiative is anticipated to expand digital payment infrastructure into remote regions.
Welcoming the move, Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association Chairman Malik Khuda Bakhsh noted that dealers previously faced high card charges of around 0.8 percent—equaling approximately Rs 2.40 per litre—which had previously discouraged them from accepting electronic transactions.
