The CM Punjab Minority Card gives poor non-Muslim families in Punjab a cash payment every three months. This guide explains who qualifies, how to register, how the money reaches you, and how the card fits with other support programs.
It is run by the Human Rights and Minorities Affairs Department, Government of the Punjab. The official portal is mcard.punjab.gov.pk and the helpline is 1040.
What the CM Punjab Minority Card is
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz launched the card in Lahore on 22 January 2025. The department calls it a flagship program that gives financial help and social protection to minority communities across Punjab.
Approved families receive a card and a fixed payment every quarter. According to the department, the program uses:
- Biometric verification through NADRA
- Payment through the Bank of Punjab
- A central data system built by the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB)
The program has grown since it started:
| When | Families covered |
|---|---|
| Launch, January 2025 | 50,000 |
| Expansion during 2025 | 75,000 |
| From early 2026 | 100,000 |
How much the Minority Card pays
As of 2026, each approved family receives Rs 10,500 every three months. Over a full year of four payments, that comes to Rs 42,000.
The Chief Minister repeated this figure in August 2026. In the Punjab budget for 2026-27, presented in June 2026, the government set aside Rs 3 billion for the CM Minority Card, so the program is continuing.
Amounts are set by the government and can change. Treat Rs 10,500 as accurate as of 2026 and confirm the current amount on 1040.
Who is eligible for the CM Punjab Minority Card
The official rules say you can apply if all of these are true:
- You are a Christian, Hindu, Sikh, or a follower of another minority religion, and you live in Punjab
- You are the head of your family, because the application is made in the head’s name
- You have a valid CNIC and a mobile number
- Your household’s PMT score is 45 or less
- You are not already getting financial help from another program such as BISP or PSPA
The sign-up form asks for your religion and states that Muslims are not eligible for this program.
Sort out your PMT score first
The PMT (Proxy Means Test) score is a poverty score that comes from the national NSER household survey. If you do not have a PMT score yet, the department asks you to visit your nearest BISP/NSER service centre. The Minority Card portal lists these centres by district.
Keep these points in mind:
- The score comes from your household survey, not from what you type on the Minority Card form
- You cannot choose your score, and nobody can change it for money
- If your situation has got worse since you were surveyed, ask the BISP centre to update your record
Our PMT score guide explains how the score works, and our NSER guide explains how to get your household surveyed.
What about PSER? The official rules mention the NSER score, not Punjab’s PSER registry. PSER is still worth joining, because some other Punjab programs use it, such as the Rehmat Card and Apni Chhat Apna Ghar. See our PSER registration guide.
How to register for the CM Punjab Minority Card
Registration is online and free. These steps follow the official Punjab Portal and the Minority Card portal:
- Open mcard.punjab.gov.pk and tap Sign up.
- Enter your full name, CNIC number, mobile network, mobile number and religion, then choose a password. Type your name in English letters only, because the form does not accept Urdu script or numbers. Email is optional.
- Log in with your CNIC number as the username and your password.
- Fill in the application form. Enter every detail correctly.
- Submit the form, then come back later to check your status on the same portal.
If you get stuck, call 1040 during office hours for registration help.
Registration happens in phases. The last window the department announced ran from 26 January to 15 February 2026. It also said the 75,000 families from the first and second phases did not need to apply again. As of September 2026 the sign-up page was online, but check the portal or call 1040 to confirm that new applications are being accepted before you apply.
What happens after you apply
According to the department, your details are checked with NADRA and other records, the authorities review your application, and approved applicants are issued a card. The money is then sent through secure banking channels.
In the second phase, the data went to the Punjab Social Protection Authority (PSPA), which checked it with NADRA and other agencies before passing lists to Deputy Commissioners.
Cards are handed out locally. In Gujranwala, for example, assistant commissioners were tasked with distributing them in each tehsil. Cards are issued after biometric verification, so the head of the family should expect to give fingerprints in person.
How you receive the money
Payments go through the Bank of Punjab. The card works as a bank card that can be used at an ATM. At the launch, the Chief Minister watched a beneficiary withdraw money from an ATM with her new card. The department has also said payments are made only against the Minority Card itself, so keep your card safe.
To keep your payment running:
- Keep your CNIC valid and not expired
- Keep the mobile number you registered with active
- Never hand your card to an agent or shopkeeper to withdraw money for you
- Call 1040 if a payment does not arrive
How it fits with other programs
These three programs are often confused:
| Minority Card | Benazir Kafaalat | Rehmat Card | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Run by | Punjab Human Rights and Minorities Affairs | BISP (federal) | Punjab Zakat and Ushr |
| For | Poor non-Muslim families | Low-income women in the NSER | Muslim widows and orphans eligible for Zakat |
| Payment | Rs 10,500 per quarter | Quarterly stipend | One-time grant |
| Portal | mcard.punjab.gov.pk | 8171.bisp.gov.pk | rahmatcard.punjab.gov.pk |
| Helpline | 1040 | 0800-26477 | 1077 |
Benazir Kafaalat. The Minority Card rules say you should not already get help from BISP. If your family receives Benazir Kafaalat, call 1040 before applying.
Rehmat Card. The Rehmat Card is run under Zakat rules. Its official criteria cover needy Muslim widows and orphans who can receive Zakat, so it is not designed for non-Muslim families. The Minority Card is the Punjab cash program built for minority communities.
Registration is free
Nobody can charge you for the Minority Card. Specifically:
- No agent can add your name to the list or speed up your card
- Never share an OTP or your card PIN, even with someone who says they are from the department or a bank
- The only official portal is mcard.punjab.gov.pk. Many websites copy the program’s name, so check the web address carefully
If someone demands money, report it through the Pakistan Citizen’s Portal, or call 1040.
Contact
- Portal: mcard.punjab.gov.pk
- Helpline: 1040, during office hours
- Department page: hrma.punjab.gov.pk
- Office: 24 C-II, Gulberg-III, Lahore, 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday
- Minority Wing phone: 042-99333628
Related support
These programs may also help your family. Some do not allow two cash stipends at the same time, so check with the helpline first:
- PSER registration, the Punjab registry that some provincial programs use, such as the Rehmat Card and Apni Chhat Apna Ghar
- BISP registration, to get your household into the NSER survey
- Sehat Card, for treatment at empanelled hospitals
- Punjab government schemes, the full list
To see which Punjab and federal programs your household may qualify for, try our free eligibility checker.
GoPunjab is an independent information website. We are not the Human Rights and Minorities Affairs Department, PITB or the Bank of Punjab, and we cannot register you, approve an application, or release a payment. We only explain how the official process works.