Published on, Sept. 8 -- September 8, 2025 12:22 AM

Walk through any bazaar in Pakistan and one phrase dominates: "cash hi do." It reflects our financial reality. While the world races toward digital money, Pakistan remains stuck with cash. The problem is not technology. We already have instant payment systems, mobile wallets, digital-only banks, and one of the youngest populations in the region. The real challenge is adoption, trust, and urgency.

The State Bank's Raast has shown that instant payments work at scale, processing trillions in transactions. Yet most people barely know it exists. Cash still feels safer, simpler, and universally accepted. Unless digital transactions become as common as handing over a hundred-rupee note, Pakis...