Following the arrest of Pakistan’s opposition leader Imran Khan, protests erupted across the country, leading to a significant drop in point-of-sale (POS) transactions processed through digital payment systems. According to data from Pakistan’s two largest payment system operators, 1LINK and Habib Bank Ltd (HBL), the mobile internet suspension, in addition to lower footfall at stores due to the political turmoil, were the primary reasons for the 50% decline in POS transactions. International payment card transactions volume and value were down by 45% and 46%, respectively. PayPak, Pakistan’s only domestic payment scheme, saw a decline of 52% in volume and 56% in value. HBL, the country’s largest bank, reported a 60% decline in the throughput of POS machines. The State Bank of Pakistan did not immediately respond to questions on the matter.