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For most small-business applicants in Punjab, the main routes to compare are the government’s Asaan Karobar Finance and Asaan Karobar Card. Choose based on your business stage, required amount, permitted spending and repayment terms, then apply only through the official portal. Both schemes describe financing as interest-free, but fees and other costs may still apply. Check the live terms before submitting an application.
Choose the scheme that fits your business
These are different facilities, not interchangeable versions of the same loan. The Punjab Portal and Punjab Small Industries Corporation (PSIC) publish their terms; check the current application portal for availability and the conditions that apply to you.
Asaan Karobar Finance: larger SME financing
The Punjab Portal describes this route for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), including new-business setup, expansion or modernization, working capital, commercial logistics leasing, and resource-efficient or climate-friendly technology. It lists small enterprises as having annual sales up to PKR 150 million and medium enterprises as having sales above PKR 150 million and up to PKR 800 million. The Portal’s eligibility conditions include age 25–55, Punjab residence and business location, active FBR filer status, a clean credit history, valid CNIC and NTN, and ownership or rental of existing business premises. PSIC specifies that for working capital, expansion and balancing, modernization and replacement (BMR) cases, the premises must be in the applicant’s, partner’s, director’s or business’s name. See the Punjab Portal program page and PSIC program page.
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →The Punjab Portal lists two financing tiers. PSIC and the Punjab Portal differ on the minimum amount for Tier 2, so confirm the applicable threshold on the live application portal rather than relying on a guide.
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| Tier | Amount | Security | Maximum tenure | End-user rate | Processing fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | PKR 1–5 million (Punjab Portal) | Personal guarantee | Up to five years | 0% | PKR 5,000 |
| Tier 2 | PKR 6–30 million (Punjab Portal); PKR 5–30 million (PSIC) | Secured | Up to five years | 0% | PKR 10,000 |
For Finance, the Punjab Portal lists a grace period of up to six months for startups or new businesses and up to three months for existing businesses; equal monthly instalments apply under approval terms. It also lists equity contributions, handling fees for some existing-business cases, and actual insurance, legal and registration charges. Its listed late-payment charge is PKR 1 per PKR 1,000 per day on overdue amounts. These are published program terms, not a promise that every applicant will receive the same offer; review the current terms and your offer carefully.
Asaan Karobar Card: smaller digital business facility
The Punjab Portal describes the Card as a three-year digital SME financing facility of up to PKR 1 million for existing or prospective small entrepreneurs in Punjab. Listed requirements include age 21–57, Pakistani nationality and Punjab residence, a valid CNIC, a mobile number registered in the applicant’s own name, a Punjab-based business, satisfactory credit and psychometric assessment, and no overdue loans. The Portal directs applicants to the PITB portal and lists a non-refundable PKR 500 processing fee. See the Punjab Portal Card page.
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The Card is for business-related use through digital channels. The Portal lists vendor and supplier payments, utility bills, government fees and taxes, point-of-sale or mobile-app transactions, and limited cash withdrawal. It describes a three-month grace period and staged availability and repayment conditions; access to the second half is tied to satisfactory use, regular repayments and PRA/FBR registration. The Portal also lists an annual card fee of PKR 25,000 plus FED. PSIC describes 33 monthly instalments after the grace period. Because the program pages may be updated, verify these details on the live Card portal before accepting an offer; see the PSIC Card page.
Apply through the official channel
- Define the purpose and amount. Decide whether you need startup funding, expansion or working capital, a smaller digital facility, or financing for a specialized purpose. Compare the relevant scheme’s eligible uses and repayment terms before proceeding.
- Check the current eligibility requirements. For Finance, review the age range, Punjab residence and business location, SME sales category, FBR filer status, CNIC, NTN, credit record and premises conditions relevant to your case. For the Card, check its separate age, residence, CNIC, registered-mobile, business-location and credit-assessment conditions.
- Make sure your information can be verified. The official pages specify CNIC and, depending on the route, NTN or a mobile number registered in your name. They describe digital verification but do not establish a definitive upload checklist. Follow the live portal’s document instructions rather than relying on an unofficial checklist.
- Open the relevant official application portal. The Punjab government’s launch announcement points Finance applicants to akf.punjab.gov.pk and Card applicants to akc.punjab.gov.pk. The program pages direct applicants to submit online through the PITB portal. Use the current instructions on the relevant official portal; do not pay an unofficial agent to submit an application.
- Read the full offer before accepting. Check the processing or card fee, any equity contribution, applicable handling and insurance, legal or registration charges, grace period, instalment schedule and late-payment terms. If official pages conflict—for example, on the Finance Tier 2 minimum—ask the scheme helpline or confirm directly in the live portal.
- Keep your reference and correspondence. Save the application reference and official messages so you can refer to them if you need to follow up. This is a practical record-keeping tip; the published material does not establish a specific tracking workflow.
Check whether another Punjab scheme fits your purpose
Some interest-free schemes are narrowly targeted and should not be treated as general personal loans.
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- Overseas employment costs: The Parwaaz Card page describes interest-free loans for expenses such as medical checks, visa processing, protectorate fees, air tickets, skill-verification tests and overseas employment promoter fees. Listed conditions include Punjab residence, valid CNIC, age 18 or older, an overseas job offer and a monthly salary below SAR 5,000. Check the official page for current application status.
- Agricultural machinery: The High-Tech Farm Mechanization Finance Program is for eligible farmers, service providers and entrepreneurs seeking qualifying machinery. The Punjab page lists loans up to PKR 30 million, minimum 20% applicant equity, age 21–65, five-year repayment, 20 quarterly instalments, six-month grace and a PKR 5,000 initial processing fee. It is not a general personal-loan route.
- People released from Punjab prisons: A Punjab Prisons Department announcement dated July 21, 2026 describes Naya Aghaz, a program with Akhuwat Foundation for deserving people released from Punjab prisons. The announcement does not establish it as a general public application route.
Get help from the official helpline
The Punjab government’s helplines directory lists Asaan Karobar helpline 1786 as active. Use it to ask about current availability, conflicting published thresholds or the terms shown in your application.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the launch announcement does—and does not—establish
In its January 16, 2025 launch announcement, the Punjab government attributed this statement to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif: “This is the first program in the history of the province under which a loan up to Rs. 3 crore is being given on 100 percent interest-free basis.” That is a dated launch-era statement, not a guarantee of present availability or an applicant’s approval. Current limits and conditions should be checked on the Punjab launch announcement and the live program pages.
The published program pages provide terms and eligibility thresholds, but the cited official material does not provide a dated, named independent outcome statistic. Loan limits and fee schedules describe program terms; they do not by themselves establish the program’s impact.
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