The Rah-e-Raast initiative is redefining the future of Pakistan’s digital payments landscape. Launched through a collaboration between PayFast, SLGTrax, and Unity Retail, this pioneering program introduces a seamless and merchant-friendly Raast QR payment system with next-day settlements and real-time visibility for all stakeholders. Designed to empower businesses and consumers alike, Rah-e-Raast aims to eliminate the challenges of cash-on-delivery (COD) while promoting digital payment adoption across the country.
The name Rah-e-Raast, meaning the path to Raast,symbolizes a clear and direct route toward a cashless, transparent economy. For the first time, customers can make payments at the time of delivery by simply scanning a dynamic Raast QR code printed on their parcel or airway bill. Once scanned, the payment is processed instantly through PayFast, and the funds are settled directly into the merchant’s account by the next business day. This innovative approach addresses one of the most persistent problems in e-commerce—delays and reconciliation issues caused by COD payments.
When a customer scans the QR code, PayFast processes the transaction in real time, ensuring speed and reliability. Unity Retail then immediately receives the payment notification and sends an instant confirmation to the SLGTrax rider at the doorstep. This seamless communication allows the rider to complete the order instantly while providing customers with peace of mind and merchants with real-time visibility. At the same time, Unity Retail’s integrated system updates the merchant’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) and fulfillment dashboards, enabling precise reconciliation and operational efficiency.
At the core of the Rah-e-Raast initiative lies Unity Retail’s role as the technological backbone of the ecosystem. Every parcel label generated through its platform carries a unique, transaction-specific QR code that securely embeds payment details, merchant identity, and verification prompts. This ensures not only transaction accuracy but also customer trust, as all payments are validated through official Raast digital rails—an initiative led by the State Bank of Pakistan to promote financial inclusion and interoperability.
Adnan Ali, CEO of PayFast, emphasized the transformative nature of this project, stating, Through Rah-e-Raast, we’re redefining how payments are made at the last mile. By combining Raast QR with Unity Retail’s solution, businesses can now experience seamless, transparent, and efficient delivery payments while reducing dependency on cash.His remarks underscore how the Rah-e-Raast initiative is bridging the gap between payment technology and logistics, a challenge long faced by Pakistan’s e-commerce sector.
Similarly, Mohsin Ali, Head of Commercial at SLGTrax, highlighted the impact on logistics operations. This partnership represents a major step forward in digitizing Pakistan’s logistics sector. Together with PayFast, we’re building a smarter and faster delivery experience for both customers and merchants.The integration of real-time payment confirmations directly into delivery systems is expected to make last-mile logistics more efficient, secure, and financially transparent.
Unity Retail’s CEO, Atif Sami, added further insight into the journey behind the Rah-e-Raast initiative: We visualized this model of payment-on-delivery through digital rails nearly eight years ago, and Rah-e-Raast is the realization of that vision. Earlier QR-based payment pilots failed because they worked in silos and overlooked the merchant’s interests. By unifying payments, logistics, and merchant systems in real time, we’ve finally made instant payments practical, sustainable, and merchant-first. His statement reflects the long-term vision of uniting Pakistan’s fragmented payment and logistics systems under one interoperable digital framework.
The Rah-e-Raast initiative marks a turning point not just for e-commerce merchants but for the entire digital economy of Pakistan. By offering instant payments, transparent tracking, and integrated reconciliation, it resolves key operational issues faced by small and large merchants alike. Businesses will no longer need to wait days—or even weeks—for COD settlements. Instead, payments will flow directly into their accounts by the next business day, improving cash flow, reducing fraud risk, and enhancing customer satisfaction.
Moreover, this initiative perfectly aligns with the State Bank of Pakistan’s vision for digital transformation and financial inclusion. By leveraging the national Raast payment system, Rah-e-Raast not only promotes interoperability across banks and payment platforms but also brings more transparency to digital commerce transactions. It is a step toward building a fully integrated, cashless ecosystem where every stakeholder—customer, merchant, logistics provider, and payment gateway—operates in perfect sync.
The Rah-e-Raast initiative is more than a payment solution; it is a strategic enabler of Pakistan’s digital future. It eliminates inefficiencies, empowers merchants, and promotes trust in digital transactions. As e-commerce continues to grow at an unprecedented pace, innovations like Rah-e-Raast will be instrumental in shaping a smarter, faster, and more inclusive digital economy for Pakistan.
