Asaan Karobar Card: registration status, Rs 1 million limit and fees

Is Asaan Karobar Card registration open?

No. The portal home page shows one line in place of the apply button: “Registration of applications has been stopped.” The page still carries the Chief Minister’s message, the helpline 1786 and login buttons for existing applicants, and no second round has been announced on it. Because the card was popular and the official message is short, many websites and social media pages still say “apply now” or offer to register you. None of them can, because the only registration channel was the official portal and it is closed. If someone asks you for your CNIC and a fee to “register” you for the Asaan Karobar Card, do not share them, and report the page to the helpline.

Already applied? Log in on akc.punjab.gov.pk/login with the account you created to see your application, and call 1786 if the status does not change. There is no public “check by CNIC” page on the official portal.

What the card offered

The card worked like a business credit line rather than a one-time loan. The official “About Program” page sets out the terms: a maximum limit of Rs 1 million, a total tenure of three years, and 0% interest for the user. For the first 12 months it was a revolving credit facility, which means you could spend, repay and spend again within your limit. After the first year, the remaining balance turned into 24 equal monthly instalments. There was a three-month grace period from the date the card was issued before repayments began. You could pay suppliers and vendors, utility bills, government fees and taxes through card machines and the mobile app, and withdraw up to 25% of the limit in cash for business purposes. Spending on personal items such as entertainment was blocked by the system.

Fees and repayment rules

Interest-free does not mean cost-free. Applicants paid a non-refundable processing fee of Rs 500, and an annual card fee of Rs 25,000 plus FED was taken from the approved limit. Life assurance, card issue and delivery were covered by the scheme, while late payments attracted charges under the bank’s schedule. Repayment followed a clear order. Only the first 50% of the limit could be used in the first six months. After the three-month grace period, the borrower paid at least 5% of the outstanding principal each month. The second 50% was released only after good use, regular repayment and registration with the Punjab Revenue Authority or FBR, which was mandatory within six months. After the first year, the balance was repaid over two years in equal monthly instalments, and the Urban Unit visited the business premises within six months of approval and then once a year.

Eligibility criteria: who could get the card

The card was aimed at small entrepreneurs, including people starting a new business. The portal listed these conditions, all of which had to be met: being a small entrepreneur in Punjab aged 21 to 57; being a Pakistani national living in Punjab; holding a valid CNIC and a mobile number registered in your own name; having an existing or planned business located in Punjab; having a clean credit history with no overdue loans; and passing a satisfactory credit and psychometric assessment. Only one application was allowed per person and per business, and the security was a personal guarantee signed digitally by the borrower. Unlike Asaan Karobar Finance, you did not need to be a tax filer on the day you applied, which made the card more accessible to small shopkeepers. Feasibility studies for new businesses were offered on the PSIC and Bank of Punjab websites.

What you can apply for now

With card registration stopped, the closest open option is Asaan Karobar Finance: interest-free loans from Rs 1 million to Rs 30 million, with the apply link live on akf.punjab.gov.pk. It suits established businesses that already file tax returns, and it charges a non-refundable fee of Rs 5,000 or Rs 10,000 depending on the tier, so read its rules carefully first. Recent graduates who want work experience before starting a business can look at the paid CM IT Internship Program. Families who need help with housing rather than business should read the Apni Chhat Apna Ghar guide, and households on a low income should check their PSER record, which many Punjab programs use to decide who qualifies.