Islamabad, 17 May, 2025: In a major push towards economic stability, the Punjab government has recorded the launch of 57,913 new businesses within just three months, marking the first time in the province’s history that such a figure has been achieved in such a short span.
The drive, headed under the slogan “Apna Kamau, Apna Khau” led to the disbursement of Rs. 61 billion in loans to over 107,000 individuals, enabling them to start or expand their ventures.
In a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, MD Punjab Small Industries Corporation (PSIC) Sara Umar gave a detailed briefing on the ongoing progress of the Easy Business Finance and Easy Business Card schemes.
According to official figures, Rs. 23.91 billion was distributed specifically for setting up new businesses during this period.
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A notable development is the growing participation of women as 6,753 female entrepreneurs secured Rs. 3.42 billion in loans. This marks the first time so many women in the province have stepped forward to seek business funding.
Under the Chief Minister’s Easy Business Card Scheme, 104,000 people have so far received Rs. 43 billion in financial support. In terms of applications, 1.38 million requests were received for this scheme, out of which 104,133 have been approved to date.
Additional data from the Chief Minister’s Easy Business Finance Initiative shows that:
- 74,579 applications were submitted under Phase one and 2,505 loans have already been disbursed.
- 12,029 applications were filed under Phase two out of which 505 of these were approved and processed.
Among the sectors drawing the most interest were:
- Transport: 1,312 applicants received Rs. 3.91 billion in loans.
- Trading and Distribution: 175 individuals secured Rs. 3.94 billion.
- A rising number of applications were also noted in agriculture, dairy, food, beauty services, automobile, fertilizers, pesticides, and other service-based sectors.
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The Easy Business Card continues to be the most widely used option under the scheme, with 61,996 businesses drawing Rs. 26.13 billion in loans.
Furthermore, 24,522 traders obtained Rs. 10.75 billion, and 10,699 small agri-business owners benefited from Rs. 3.69 billion.
During the session, the Chief Minister issued clear directions to accelerate the processing of all pending applications, ensuring swift facilitation for aspiring entrepreneurs.
In a move to further enhance the development program, Maryam Nawaz also approved activation of the Easy Business Card via WhatsApp, making access easier for users across Punjab .
Moreover, she called for a comprehensive plan to extend loan schemes to the export and manufacturing sectors, emphasizing that the Easy Business initiatives must not be interrupted under any circumstances.
