Rs 10,000 Ramzan support for low-income families

The Ramzan Nigehban Card (also spelled Nigehbaan or Negahban) is Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz's Ramzan relief for low-income families in Punjab. In Ramzan 2026 each eligible family received Rs 10,000 on a Bank of Punjab card, delivered to their door. The money could be withdrawn as cash or spent on groceries.

There is no application form. Families are selected automatically from the Punjab Socio-Economic Registry (PSER). The single most useful thing you can do is make sure your household is registered there.

Is the Nigehban Card still active?

As of 24 September 2026, there are no Nigehban Card payments running. The 2026 package was a one-time Ramzan payment and it has finished. We found no announcement of monthly payments, a second phase, or a merger with another card.

Two things point to another round:

• On 17 February 2026 the Chief Minister told families to keep the card and not throw it away, because future relief would come through the same card.
• The Punjab budget for 2026-27 proposes Rs 37 billion for the Ramzan package, which would fund Ramzan 2027, expected around February 2027.

Keep your card. If there is a 2027 round, existing cardholders are likely to be paid on the same card.

Benefits: what the card gave in 2026

Families on the CM Punjab Ration Card got Rs 10,000 during Ramzan instead of their usual Rs 3,000.

The government announced figures of between 4 and 4.5 million families at different times. The June 2026 budget speech gave the lowest figure, 3.4 million, and it is the most authoritative.

Who is eligible

• Families registered in the Punjab Socio-Economic Registry (PSER)
• With a household income below Rs 45,000 a month, the 2026 threshold announced by Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari
• Suthra Punjab sanitation workers were also included in 2026

For comparison, the 2025 round paid Rs 10,000 to about 3 million families by pay order. In 2024 the relief was a ration bag delivered to the home.

How to apply or get on the list

You cannot apply for the Nigehban Card directly, and no website takes applications for it. Any site that says "Nigehban card apply online" and asks for your CNIC is not an official one. Here is what works:

1. 1Register your household in PSER. This is how the government finds eligible families. See our page on the Punjab Socio-Economic Registry.
2. 2Keep your PSER record up to date. Report changes in income, family members or address.
3. 3Keep your Nigehban card if you already have one.

In Ramzan 2026, families left off the list could register through Maryam Ko Batain (helpline 1000, the app or the web portal). Those found eligible got Rs 10,000 in a JazzCash wallet. Families already covered by Nigehban, the Ration Card, BISP or the federal Ramzan package were excluded.

Maryam Ko Batain is still running in September 2026. It still takes requests for ration, medical emergency and financial help, so it is the place to go if you need help now. See Maryam Ko Batain.

Helpline numbers

• 0800-02345: the Chief Minister's Complaint Cell helpline, which the Chief Minister gave for Nigehban card queries in February 2026. It is sometimes written 08000-2345.
• 1000: Maryam Ko Batain, the Punjab government's relief helpline

Nigehban Card, Ration Card, Minority Card: what's the difference?

• Ramzan Nigehban Card: one-time Ramzan payment for low-income PSER families. This page.
• [CM Punjab Ration Card](/schemes/cm-punjab-ration-card): Rs 3,000 a month for registered industrial workers, miners and Suthra Punjab workers.
• [CM Punjab Minority Card](/schemes/cm-punjab-minority-card): quarterly payments to families from minority communities. Media reports in March and April 2026 also called these cards "Nigehban cards".

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply for the Nigehban Card now?

No. There is no open application in September 2026 and no application form at any time. Registering in PSER is how you get considered for the next round.

I have the card but no money came. What should I do?

The 2026 payment was made during Ramzan. If you received a card but could not withdraw your Rs 10,000 at the time, call 0800-02345 or 1000.

Is it "Nigam card" or "Nigehban card"?

The correct name is Nigehban (نگہبان), meaning guardian. "Nigam card", "Nigehbaan" and "Negahban" all refer to the same card.

Is SMS to 8070 the way to check eligibility?

Websites claim that sending your CNIC to 8070 checks Nigehban eligibility. We found no official 2026 source for this. The official channels in 2026 were helpline 0800-02345 and Maryam Ko Batain 1000.

Sources

• Radio Pakistan, 26 January 2026: CM Punjab approves Ramazan Nigehban package worth Rs47b
• The Nation, 27 January 2026: Punjab approves Rs47b Ramazan Nigehban package. Cash via BOP agents and 1-Link ATMs.
• Daily Pakistan, 29 January 2026: income threshold below Rs 45,000
• APP, February 2026: CM announces start of Ramazan Nigehban ATM card delivery. Helpline and delivery.
• Express, 17 February 2026: CM asks families to keep the card (Urdu)
• Business Recorder, 2 March 2026: Maryam Ko Batain registration for families left out