Punjab Launches ‘Parwaz Card’ to Provide Interest-Free Loans for Youth

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has launched the province’s first-ever “Parwaz Card”, a flagship initiative aimed at empowering skilled youth by providing interest-free loans of up to PKR 300,000.
The launch ceremony also marked the inauguration of the “Creative Hand, Rah-e-Rozgar” programme and the Skill Development Portal, initiatives designed to enhance vocational training and expand employment opportunities across the province.
According to officials, Punjab has, for the first time in its history, completed technical training for 250,000 young people. More than 114,000 trainees have secured employment after completing their training, with 97,000 finding jobs within Pakistan and 33,000 employed abroad.
Addressing the ceremony, the chief minister said the Parwaz Card would help skilled youth start their own businesses and become financially independent without the burden of interest-based loans.
During the event, Maryam Nawaz also met with transgender students, who expressed gratitude for the government’s support. The students said they had long been marginalized and denied dignity, adding that the current administration had recognized them with respect and inclusion.
The Punjab government says the initiative reflects its broader commitment to youth empowerment, skill development, and inclusive growth, positioning young people as key drivers of the province’s economic future.