State Bank of Pakistan caps fuel card fees and mandates Raast QR payments at petrol stations

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) issued a circular requiring all petrol pumps nationwide to install and activate the Raast QR code payment system by 31 January 2027. The directive aims to expand digital payments, reduce cash use and lower transaction costs in the fuel sector.

SBP also fixed the maximum Merchant Discount Rate for card‑based fuel purchases at Rs 1 per litre and capped the Interchange Reimbursement Fee at 20 paisas per litre. These limits apply to all bank cards and will remain in force until the QR‑payment deadline. Industry representatives, including Malik Khuda Bakhsh of the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association, welcomed the measures, noting that previous card fees were higher and discouraged electronic payments.

The policy covers more than 15,000 petrol pumps across Pakistan, including remote locations, and requires commercial banks, micro‑finance banks and digital‑wallet providers to cooperate with pump owners to ensure the QR system is functional.