Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has directed to simplify Asaan Karobar Finance and Asaan Karobar Card Schemes. She directed that loans be granted to businessmen as per their need. Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif presided over a special meeting in which progress being made on the Asaan Karobar Finance and Asaan Karobar Card Schemes was reviewed.
The Chief Minister directed to encourage businessmen to establish new units for business finance. It was informed in the briefing that those who receive loans comprise people doing transport, pharmaceuticals and small scale businesses. More than 80,000 loan applications have been approved for business finance scheme. Loans have been granted to 34,000 businessmen through business finance and business cards.
The Chief Minister also ordered to take feedback from all recipients of loans. She made a surprise call to the loan recipients during the meeting and spoke to them on the phone. She inquired about the process to obtain loans. She also spoke to Adnan Ali, who runs a grocery store. Adnan Ali expressed his gratitude for receiving Rs. 355,000 through Karobar Finance Card and apprised that his business has prospered by putting goods worth Rs. 355,000 in the grocery store.
Moinuddin, who runs an agricultural input business from Taunsa, expressed his surprise by having direct conversation with the Chief Minister and thanked her for calling him. Moinuddin informed that by putting Rs. 156,000 in khal, banola, chokar and wanda has improved his business. He thanked Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and the Chief Minister for helping him by launching a scheme like Asaan Karobar Finance Card.
She also called and spoke to Nadeem Ahmed, who runs a grocery shop in Lodhran’s suburban village 104. Nadeem Ahmed apprised that his business has prospered on receiving Rs. 800,000 through Asaan Karobar Finance Card scheme before Eid, as more goods have been put in his shop. The Chief Minister prayed for the success of all recipients of Asaan Karobar Finance scheme.
Meanwhile, a significant global honour for Pakistan and the Punjab province as Lahore has been nominated as Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO’s) Tourism Capital for the year 2027. A 25-member delegation of the 10-nation Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) will begin its visit to Lahore from April 13 and it will be formally announced that Lahore will be nominated as ‘ECO’s Tourism Capital’.
Shahrisabz in Uzbekistan has already received this honour and the city of Erzurum in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey has been nominated as ‘ECO’s Tourism Capital’ for 2025. The Ambassador of the “Economic Coordination Organization” is visiting Lahore on the invitation of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif. Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are also included in the ECO, in addition to Turkiye, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
ECO selects one city from 10 member countries for this unique honour every year. Lahore is being granted this special honour against the backdrop of its rich historical, cultural and touristic heritage. The aim of this series, which began in 2019, is to highlight historical, cultural and touristic heritage and beauty of the ECO region worldwide.
The meeting of the Permanent Delegates Council of ECO, hosted by the Chief Minister Punjab will be held at the Civil Secretariat. In addition to witnessing Mela Chiraghan, the delegation members of the ECO countries will visit other historical sites including Walled City and Punjab Safe Cities Authority. A luncheon will also be hosted in the honour of the ECO delegation at the Governor House.
Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said that Lahore receiving the honour of ‘ECO Capital Tourism’ is a great achievement in promoting our history, culture and national heritage, which the Punjab government duly welcomes. She said that the Chief Minister wants to show historical, cultural and civilizational colours of Lahore to the world. Lahore being nominated as ‘ECO Tourism Capital’ will prove to be an important milestone towards promoting global tourism in the country and the province.
