CM Punjab Asaan Karobar Card: Rs 1 Million Interest-Free, Rs 500 Fee and the 25% Cash Rule
The CM Punjab Asaan Karobar Card gives up to Rs 1 million interest free. See the Rs 500 fee, Rs 25,000 card fee, 25% cash limit, age 21 to 57 and how to repay.
The CM Punjab Asaan Karobar Card gives a small business an interest-free limit of up to Rs 1 million on a Bank of Punjab card. You pay a Rs 500 processing fee, and an annual card fee of Rs 25,000 plus FED is taken from your limit. Up to 25 per cent can be drawn as cash; the rest must go to suppliers, bills and taxes. Applicants must be 21 to 57 and live in Punjab. The helpline is 1786.
We read both official descriptions of the card on 11 November 2026: the Government of Punjab's scheme page and the Punjab Small Industries Corporation (PSIC) page. They mostly agree, but they describe repayment differently, and we show both below. If you want a larger loan of up to Rs 30 million instead, that is the separate Asaan Karobar Finance scheme in our Asaan Karobar Finance guide.
The card gives up to Rs 1 million at 0 per cent markup
You pay no markup. The Punjab government pays the bank's markup for you. The card works through a mobile app and shop POS machines, and personal spending is blocked.
| Feature | What the official pages say |
|---|---|
| Limit | Up to Rs 1 million |
| Markup for you | 0 per cent, paid by the Punjab government |
| Tenure | 3 years |
| Grace period | 3 months from card issue |
| Processing fee | Rs 500, not refundable |
| Annual card fee | Rs 25,000 plus FED, taken from your limit |
| Cash withdrawal | Up to 25 per cent of the limit |
| Bank | Bank of Punjab |
| Helpline | 1786 |
Life insurance, card issue and delivery are covered by the scheme. Late payment charges follow the bank's own schedule of charges.
Who can apply for the Asaan Karobar Card
The card is for small business owners, and for people who plan to start a business. The Government of Punjab page sets these conditions:
- Age 21 to 57.
- Pakistani national living in Punjab.
- Valid CNIC that matches NADRA's record.
- Mobile number registered in your own name.
- An existing or planned business located in Punjab.
- A clean credit history with no overdue loans.
- Pass a credit check and a psychometric test, a short test of how you handle money and risk.
- Only one application per person and per business.
The SIM rule catches many people. If your phone number is in a brother's or a father's name, the application will not verify. Move the SIM to your own CNIC first.
Half the limit comes first, the rest after you prove good use
You do not get the full Rs 1 million on day one. The first 50 per cent can be used in the first 6 months. The second 50 per cent is released only after good use, regular repayments and registration with PRA or FBR.
PRA is the Punjab Revenue Authority, which collects sales tax on services. Registration with PRA or FBR is compulsory within six months of getting the card. Our PRA registration guide shows the steps.
Here is how a full Rs 1 million card works in practice, using the official rules:
| Stage | What you can use | Example on a Rs 1 million card |
|---|---|---|
| Months 1 to 6 | First 50 per cent of the limit | Up to Rs 500,000 |
| Any time | Cash, at most 25 per cent | Up to Rs 250,000 in cash |
| Year one | Annual fee taken from limit | Rs 25,000 plus FED off your limit |
| After good use and PRA or FBR | Second 50 per cent | A further Rs 500,000 |
The two official pages describe repayment differently
This is where you should read your own offer letter carefully. The Government of Punjab page says the card is a 12-month revolving limit. After the 3-month grace period you pay at least 5 per cent of the amount you owe each month. Whatever is left after the first year is repaid over 2 years in 24 equal instalments.
The PSIC page says repayment is in 33 monthly instalments after the 3-month grace period. Both add up to 3 years in total. Ask the Bank of Punjab which schedule applies to your card before you sign.
Under the 5 per cent rule, if you owe Rs 400,000, your minimum payment is Rs 20,000 that month. Paying only the minimum keeps the card active, but the rest still has to be cleared later.
How to apply for the Asaan Karobar Card
The application is fully online, on the Punjab IT Board portal at akc.punjab.gov.pk. We could not read the application screens without signing up, so the steps below follow the official description:
- Open akc.punjab.gov.pk on your phone or computer. Type the address yourself.
- Sign up with your CNIC and the mobile number registered in your name.
- Fill in your personal and business details, including the business address in Punjab.
- Pay the Rs 500 processing fee through the portal.
- Take the psychometric test and allow the credit check.
- Wait for digital verification of your CNIC, credit history and business premises.
- If approved, sign the personal guarantee digitally and receive your card.
After approval, the Urban Unit visits your business premises within 6 months and then once a year. A business that does not exist at the address given can lose the card.
Over 104,000 cards were issued in the first six months
The Punjab government said on 31 December 2025 that 104,131 Asaan Karobar Cards had been issued, with Rs 44 billion in card loans. It said small shopkeepers, home-based workers and vendors were the main users, and that a second phase of Rs 90 billion was planned for the Asaan Karobar schemes. It gave no date for that phase.
Farmers have a separate interest-free card for seed, fertiliser and other farm inputs, explained in our Kissan Card guide.
We could not confirm from the portal's public pages whether new card applications are open today. Call 1786 before you pay the fee.
Common questions
Is the Asaan Karobar Card really interest free?
Yes, for you. The official pages say the borrower pays 0 per cent and the Punjab government pays the bank's markup.
How much does the Asaan Karobar Card cost?
A Rs 500 processing fee, which is not refunded, and an annual card fee of Rs 25,000 plus FED, which is taken from your approved limit.
Can I withdraw cash from the Asaan Karobar Card?
Up to 25 per cent of your limit. On a Rs 1 million card, that is at most Rs 250,000 in cash.
What is the age limit for the Asaan Karobar Card?
21 to 57 years. You must also live in Punjab and run, or plan to run, a business there.
Do I need to register with FBR or PRA?
Yes, within six months of getting the card. The second half of your limit is released only after registration and good use.
What is the Asaan Karobar Card helpline?
1786. The application portal is akc.punjab.gov.pk.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 11 November 2026, about 4:20 am PKT. Sources: the Government of Punjab's CM Punjab Asaan Karobar Card page, the PSIC Asaan Karobar Card page, and the Government of Punjab's release of 31 December 2025 on six months of the schemes. Where the two scheme pages differ on repayment, we show both.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
