Islamabad International Airport has become Pakistan’s first fully digital, cashless smart airport, powered by Zindigi and Pakistan Airports Authority using Raast QR for seamless payments.
Pakistan’s First Greenfield Airport Goes Fully Cashless
Islamabad International Airport, Pakistan’s first greenfield airport, has now achieved another landmark by going fully digital and cashless. Through a collaboration between Zindigi powered by JS Bank and the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA), the entire payment ecosystem at the airport is being transformed into a smart, technology-driven model.
Under this initiative, passengers, staff, and visitors will be able to make digital payments at all commercial outlets and service counters across the terminal. From restaurants and coffee shops to retail stores, car parking and other services, payments can be made without using cash, creating a modern and convenient experience.
How Zindigi Raast QR Powers the Smart Airport
At the heart of this transformation is Zindigi Raast QR, an interoperable QR-based payment solution built on Pakistan’s instant payment system Raast. Passengers can scan QR codes displayed at merchants using any mobile banking application that supports Raast payments, making the system open, inclusive and bank-agnostic.
This approach removes the need for separate apps or bank-specific wallets. Local and international travellers who hold accounts with participating banks can simply use their existing mobile apps to pay within seconds. For businesses inside the airport, the system reduces cash handling, improves transaction transparency and speeds up checkout time.
Benefits for Passengers, Businesses and the Government
For passengers, a fully digital airport means less time spent managing cash, better hygiene, and greater safety. Lost change, counterfeit notes and long queues at payment counters are all reduced when payments are made digitally. Travellers can track their spending directly from their mobile banking apps, making budgeting easier.
For airport merchants and concessionaires, the Smart Airport Initiative helps reduce cash management costs, shrinkage and revenue leakages. Digital records make it easier to reconcile sales, file taxes and manage accounts. For the Pakistan Airports Authority and government institutions, increased documentation of transactions supports transparency and broadens the tax net.
Supporting the Vision of Cashless Islamabad and Digital Pakistan
This milestone is closely aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision of a Cashless Islamabad and a broader Digital Pakistan agenda. By modernising a critical public asset like Islamabad International Airport, the government and its partners are setting a practical example of how citizen-facing infrastructure can be upgraded through technology.
Leaders from PAA and Zindigi, including senior officials such as Deputy Director General Sadiq ur Rehman Khan and Zindigi’s Chief Officer Noman Azhar, have highlighted that the Smart Airport model will serve as a template for other airports and public venues. Once fully implemented, it is expected to reduce cash dependency, minimise leakages and greatly improve the passenger journey from check-in to boarding.
The initiative also reinforces Zindigi’s role as a national digital transformation partner, working closely with federal and city authorities to digitise payments, enhance financial inclusion and support Pakistan’s shift towards a secure, transparent and cashless economy.
