PRA Raast QR Code Rule in Punjab: Restaurants, Hotels and Beauty Parlours Must Display One
PRA's Circular No. 1 of 2026 makes Raast QR payment mandatory at Punjab restaurants, hotels and beauty parlours. What it says, who it covers, and how to comply.
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Every restaurant, hotel and beauty parlour in Punjab must offer Raast QR code payments, under PRA's Circular No. 1 of 2026, dated 23 January 2026. The circular gave these businesses 14 days to get a QR-enabled bank account, keep the QR payment working, and display the QR code where customers can see it. It does not cover shops in general, and it sets out no fine of its own.
Wedding season fills marquees, restaurants and salons in November and December, so this is when customers most often ask to pay by phone. We read the circular on the Punjab Revenue Authority's website on 11 November 2026. It is still the only circular PRA lists for 2026. Below is what it requires, who it covers, how a business sets up a Raast QR, and what a customer can do if one is missing.
What PRA's Raast QR circular requires
The circular directs three service sectors to do three things. Its own wording is "restaurants, hotels and beauty parlours operating in the Punjab".
- Obtain, within two weeks (14 days), a QR code enabled bank account.
- Make sure the QR code payment facility is active and working.
- Display the QR code at a conspicuous place inside the business, for easy customer access.
Fourteen days from 23 January 2026 ran to about 6 February 2026, so the deadline has long passed. The circular says the aim is to help customers and to promote transparency, documentation and ease of doing business in the services sector.
| Detail | What the circular says |
|---|---|
| Number | PRA's Circular No. 1 of 2026, No. PRA.Circulars-32-24/1276 |
| Date | 23 January 2026 |
| Issued by | Chief (HQ), Punjab Revenue Authority |
| Who must comply | Restaurants, hotels and beauty parlours in Punjab |
| Time given | 14 days |
| Penalty named | None in the circular |
Who the Raast QR rule covers, and who it does not
Only the three named sectors are covered. The circular does not define each sector further, so a business unsure whether it counts as a restaurant, hotel or beauty parlour should ask PRA.
The circular does not name marquees, wedding halls, caterers, gyms or ordinary shops. Some of those may still take QR payments by choice. Shops that want to take Raast payments can follow our guide on how to set up Raast QR payments for a shop.
The circular is a PRA instruction for Punjab only. Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Islamabad have their own tax authorities, and this circular does not apply there.
How a restaurant, hotel or salon sets up Raast QR
A Raast QR code comes from a bank or a wallet that is allowed to sign up merchants. There is no card machine to buy. The usual path is short.
- Choose a bank or wallet that offers a Raast merchant or business account.
- Open the account in the business's name and finish the CNIC check.
- Get the static QR code from the app or branch.
- Test it once by paying a small amount from another bank app.
- Print it and put it at the cash counter or reception, where customers can see it.
The circular's wording speaks of an account "from the State Bank of Pakistan". In practice the account is opened with a bank or wallet, and the State Bank runs the Raast system behind it.
What customers should check when they pay
Paying by Raast QR moves money straight from your bank app or wallet into the business account. It still needs care.
- Check that the name shown in your app after scanning matches the business.
- Type the exact bill amount if the code is static.
- Keep the payment screen until the staff confirm they received it.
- Ask for a proper PRA invoice for the bill. Our guide to what a valid PRA restaurant bill must show lists what to look for.
For the customer side of the setup, see how to pay a shop by scanning a Raast QR.
What to do if a business has no QR code
Ask the staff first. Some places keep the code behind the counter. If a covered restaurant, hotel or beauty parlour has none, you can report it to PRA.
PRA's website has a complaint system under its User Guide menu, with a manual called "How to File a Complaint". Its UAN, printed on the website, is 042-111-000-772. Give the business name, address, date and what happened. The circular names no penalty, so we cannot say what action PRA takes on a complaint.
Common questions
Is Raast QR mandatory for restaurants in Punjab?
Yes. PRA's Circular No. 1 of 2026 directs restaurants, hotels and beauty parlours in Punjab to offer and display a Raast QR code.
When did the PRA Raast QR rule start?
The circular is dated 23 January 2026 and gave businesses 14 days, to about 6 February 2026.
Does the rule apply to every shop in Punjab?
No. The circular names only restaurants, hotels and beauty parlours.
What is the fine for not having a QR code?
The circular does not name a fine. PRA's circulars page lists no other notice on the subject.
Can a business refuse cash once it has a QR code?
The circular does not say so. It asks businesses to offer QR payment, not to stop taking cash.
Where can I read the circular?
On pra.punjab.gov.pk, under News, Circulars. It is listed as "Raast QR Code Mandatory Adoption, PRA Circular 2026".
Last checked: 11 November 2026, from PRA's Circular No. 1 of 2026 on pra.punjab.gov.pk.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
