The Asaan Karobar Card is a Punjab government scheme that gives small business owners interest-free credit of up to Rs 1 million on a Bank of Punjab card. As of September 2026, its official portal says “Registration of applications has been stopped”, so new applicants cannot apply for the card right now. This guide explains the card’s terms, what current cardholders must do, the larger Asaan Karobar Finance loans that are still taking applications, and the official helpline, 1786.

The card is a project of the Punjab Small Industries Corporation (PSIC). The Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) runs its portal, akc.punjab.gov.pk, and the Bank of Punjab is the lender.

What is the Asaan Karobar Card?

The Punjab cabinet approved the CM Punjab Asaan Karobar Card and Asaan Karobar Finance on 14 January 2025, and online applications opened two days later. PSIC describes the card as a 3-year scheme giving clean, interest-free loans to existing and new small businesses through a fully digital process.

You do not get cash in hand. You get a card with a credit limit, and you use it for business spending: paying suppliers, utility bills, government fees and taxes, or buying through shop card machines and the mobile app. Personal spending, such as entertainment, is blocked. The borrower pays 0% interest because the Punjab government pays the markup to the bank.

By the end of December 2025, a government press release said 104,131 cards had been issued, with Rs 44 billion in card-based loans.

As of September 2026, the Asaan Karobar Card portal says registration of applications has been stopped.

Asaan Karobar Card status in September 2026

  • The card portal, akc.punjab.gov.pk, shows the message “Registration of applications has been stopped.” Clicking through to apply brings up the same notice.
  • No official date for a new card round has been announced.
  • Asaan Karobar Finance, the larger loan scheme, is in its second phase, and its portal, akf.punjab.gov.pk, was still showing Apply buttons in September 2026.

Some blogs and social media pages claim a new Asaan Karobar Card round is open. If the official portal does not show it, it is not open. Call 1786 to check before you share your details anywhere.

Asaan Karobar Card loan terms

These are the official terms on the card portal and punjab.gov.pk:

FeatureOfficial terms
Maximum limitRs 1 million
Total period3 years
First 12 monthsA revolving credit limit
Grace period3 months from the day the card is issued
Monthly payment in year 1After 3 months, at least 5% of the outstanding principal
Years 2 and 3The remaining balance in 24 equal monthly instalments
Interest for you0%
Processing feeRs 500, non-refundable
Card feeRs 25,000 plus FED, deducted from your limit
Cash withdrawalUp to 25% of the limit, through ATMs, allowed 6 months after issue
SecurityYour personal guarantee, signed digitally, with life assurance included

The original terms released the limit in two halves: 50% for the first 6 months, and the other 50% after good use, regular repayments and tax registration.

Who could apply

The official eligibility rules for the card are:

  • Age 21 to 57
  • A Pakistani national living in Punjab
  • A valid CNIC, and a mobile number registered in your own name
  • An existing or planned business located in Punjab
  • A clean credit history with no overdue loans, and a satisfactory credit and psychometric assessment
  • One application per person and per business

You did not need tax registration to apply. You had to register with the Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) or the FBR within six months of getting the card. If you are not sure the SIM you use is in your name, our CNIC SIM check guide shows how to check.

How the card application worked

When registration was open, the process was fully online:

  1. Register on akc.punjab.gov.pk with your mobile number and the code sent to it.
  2. Fill in your personal, business and loan details, and upload documents.
  3. Pay the Rs 500 processing fee through the PSID shown on the portal.
  4. Pass automatic checks (NADRA and other records), a psychometric assessment and Bank of Punjab scrutiny.
  5. Sign the terms and your personal guarantee digitally, with a code sent to your phone.
  6. Receive the card at your mailing address, and activate it at a Bank of Punjab ATM or on the bank’s helpline.

After approval, the Urban Unit visits your business premises within 6 months, and then once a year.

If you already have an Asaan Karobar Card

The card portal now shows revised terms for approved applicants:

  • The full approved limit is available when the card is issued.
  • The card will be blocked after six months unless you have a positive verification report from the Urban Unit and are registered with PRA or FBR.
  • You must pay each bill within 30 days of the statement date.
  • After one year, the card is blocked and the balance is repaid in 24 equal monthly instalments.

So register for tax early, keep your business open for the verification visit, and pay on time. Late payments are charged under the bank’s schedule of charges.

Asaan Karobar Finance: the larger loans

Asaan Karobar Finance is a separate scheme for small and medium businesses that need more money. It uses its own portal, akf.punjab.gov.pk.

TierAmountSecurityPeriodInterestProcessing fee
T1Rs 1 million to Rs 5 millionPersonal guaranteeUp to 5 years0%Rs 5,000
T2Rs 6 million to Rs 30 millionSecured, such as property papersUp to 5 years0%Rs 10,000
Export or SMEUp to Rs 50 millionSecuredUp to 5 years0%Rs 10,000

The main rules for Finance are different from the card:

  • Age 25 to 55, living and doing business in Punjab
  • An active FBR tax filer with an NTN and a clean credit history
  • You must own or rent the place of an existing business
  • The application form asks for your photo, CNIC, proof of business and home address, and two references who are not blood relatives

For most loans you put in some of your own money. That is 0% for T1 (25% for leased vehicles), 20% in other cases, or 10% for women, transgender persons and persons with disabilities. Existing businesses pay a 3% a year handling fee. New businesses do not. The official T2 range starts at Rs 6 million on the scheme’s information page and Rs 5 million on the form, so check it when you apply.

Interest-free is not the same as free

The borrower’s rate is 0%, but these costs are real:

  • Card: the Rs 500 processing fee, the Rs 25,000 plus FED card fee from your limit, and late payment charges
  • Finance: the Rs 5,000 or Rs 10,000 processing fee, the 3% yearly handling fee for existing businesses, Rs 1 per Rs 1,000 a day on overdue amounts, and insurance, legal and registration costs

Most important, you must repay every rupee you use. Borrow only what your business can pay back.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Believing a “new card round” post without checking the official portal
  • Using a SIM in someone else’s name, which the portals reject
  • Delaying PRA or FBR registration, which can get the card blocked
  • Using the card for personal spending, which is blocked and breaks the terms

Stay safe from fraud

  • The only official charges are the processing fees, paid through the PSID the portal gives you. Nobody needs cash from you to “approve” a loan.
  • No agent can get you selected, raise your limit or reopen registration for you.
  • Never share an OTP, card PIN or password. The digital signing codes are for you alone.
  • Use only akc.punjab.gov.pk and akf.punjab.gov.pk, and deal only with verified Bank of Punjab staff.

If someone asks for money, report it through the Pakistan Citizen’s Portal and tell the helpline.

Contact

To see which other Punjab and federal programs your household may qualify for, try our free eligibility checker.

GoPunjab is an independent information website. We are not PSIC, PITB or the Bank of Punjab, and we cannot register you, approve a loan or reopen an application. We only explain how the official process works so you can apply correctly yourself.