The National Bank of Pakistan has entered into a strategic collaboration with ISTIQEME aimed at expanding the country’s digital payments infrastructure, with a particular focus on accelerating the adoption of QR-based merchant payments.
The partnership was formally announced during a signing ceremony held at NBP’s Regional Office in Karachi, where senior representatives from both organisations gathered to mark the initiative.
The collaboration is designed to strengthen Pakistan’s transition toward a digital economy by enabling small and medium-sized businesses to adopt secure, efficient and accessible payment solutions.
Focus on merchant onboarding and QR ecosystem
As part of the agreement, ISTIQEME will support NBP in scaling its QR payment network by facilitating merchant onboarding, deploying QR code infrastructure and providing training to ensure effective usage.
The initiative will also include awareness campaigns and operational support for bank branches to streamline the onboarding process and improve merchant activation rates across the country.
Officials said the move is expected to significantly expand the footprint of digital payments, particularly among underserved segments of the market.
Speaking on the occasion, NBP Chief Digital Officer Adnan Nasir said, “The collaboration between NBP and ISTIQEME represents a shared vision to empower merchants through seamless digital solutions. Together, we are focused on building a robust QR payment infrastructure that supports financial inclusion and aligns with Pakistan’s broader digital transformation agenda.”
Driving Pakistan’s cashless economy vision
The partnership aligns with the Government of Pakistan’s push toward a cashless economy and complements the State Bank of Pakistan’s efforts to promote digital financial inclusion.
By leveraging NBP’s nationwide banking network and ISTIQEME’s expertise in digital enablement, the initiative aims to improve access to financial services while encouraging businesses to transition from cash-based transactions to digital platforms.
ISTIQEME Chief Executive Officer Muhammad Kamran Khan attended the ceremony, along with senior NBP officials including Mahmood Akhtar Nadeem, Zohaib Ali Khan, Ahsan Raza, Faisal Mirza, Leemoon Chaglani, Javed Sheikh and Majid Hussain Shaikh.
Industry observers say collaborations like this are critical for scaling Pakistan’s digital payments ecosystem, especially as the country looks to increase documentation of the economy and improve transaction transparency.
The initiative is expected to play a key role in expanding digital acceptance infrastructure, enhancing convenience for consumers and enabling merchants to participate more actively in the formal financial system.
