In a collaborative effort to strengthen Pakistan’s digital commerce infrastructure, PayFast, Unity Retail, and SLGTrax have announced the launch of “Rah-e-Raast”, a new initiative that enables merchant-friendly Raast QR payments with next-day settlements and real-time visibility for all stakeholders. The name, which translates to “the path to Raast”, symbolizes the country’s move towards seamless and cashless transactions, addressing long-standing challenges faced by merchants and logistics providers in handling cash-on-delivery payments.
Rah-e-Raast allows customers to pay for their orders at the time of delivery by scanning a dynamic Raast QR code printed on the parcel or airway bill. The payment is instantly processed through PayFast, with the transaction details communicated in real time to all parties involved. Funds are settled directly into the merchant’s account by the next business day, effectively eliminating cash-handling delays and reconciliation errors common in Pakistan’s e-commerce and logistics ecosystem. This innovation provides merchants with greater financial transparency and operational efficiency while offering customers a secure, contactless payment experience.
Serving as the backbone of this collaboration, Unity Retail ensures seamless integration between merchant systems, payment gateways, and logistics partners. Each parcel label generated through Unity Retail’s platform carries a unique, transaction-specific QR code containing the amount, merchant details, and authentication checks to guarantee transaction accuracy and customer trust. When a customer scans the QR code, the payment is verified through PayFast, while Unity Retail instantly processes the payment notification and updates merchant ERP and fulfillment systems. At the same time, SLGTrax riders receive real-time confirmation at the customer’s doorstep, allowing immediate order completion and reducing delivery friction.
Commenting on the development, Adnan Ali, CEO of PayFast, said that Rah-e-Raast is redefining the last-mile payment experience by merging digital payments with logistics efficiency. “By combining Raast QR with the Unity Retail solution, businesses can now experience seamless, transparent, and efficient delivery payments while reducing dependency on cash,” he noted. Mohsin Ali, Head of Commercial at SLGTrax, added that the partnership represents a major advancement in digitizing Pakistan’s logistics sector, creating a faster and smarter delivery experience for both merchants and customers. Meanwhile, Atif Sami, CEO of Unity Retail, stated that the concept had been envisioned nearly eight years ago, but earlier QR payment pilots failed to sustain because they operated in silos and did not prioritize merchant convenience. “By unifying payments, logistics, and merchant systems in real time, Rah-e-Raast finally makes instant payments practical, sustainable, and merchant-first,” he said.
Rah-e-Raast aligns closely with the State Bank of Pakistan’s vision of building a financially inclusive and interoperable payment ecosystem. By linking instant payments, logistics integration, and automated reconciliation, the initiative represents a significant step toward creating a transparent and merchant-centric digital economy. Through this partnership, PayFast, Unity Retail, and SLGTrax are not only simplifying last-mile payments but also fostering trust and efficiency across Pakistan’s digital commerce value chain, accelerating the shift toward a truly cashless economy.
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