Parwaaz Card initiative sent its first batch of 135 skilled youth from Lahore to Saudi Arabia for jobs, the Punjab government said on Wednesday.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said the workers would represent Pakistan abroad. She said the programme aimed to provide quality vocational training and overseas employment opportunities to youth.
Punjab Skills Development Fund is implementing the scheme under the Skills Development and Entrepreneurship Department.
Punjab Task Force on Skill Development Chairman Adnan Afzal Chattha said the 135 placements were secured in Saudi Arabia. The first batch includes 105 candidates for hospitality jobs, mainly in Quick Service Restaurants.
It also includes 30 candidates for the construction sector. Departures of successful candidates will begin on June 28.
حکومتِ پنجاب کے اقدام "پرواز کارڈ" کے ذریعے اب بیرونِ ملک روزگار کا حصول ہوا انتہائی آسان اور باوقار۔ ایجنٹوں کے بھاری بھرکم اخراجات کے بجائے اب صرف ڈھائی سے تین لاکھ روپے کی اصل لاگت پر ویزا ممکن ہے۔ pic.twitter.com/ovlDfyKTYA
— PML-N Digital (@pmlndigitalpk) June 24, 2026
The Parwaaz Card scheme provides interest-free pre-departure financing and workplace-readiness training.
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Officials said the support covers visa fees, air tickets, medical examination fees, protectorate fees and other travel costs.
Under the programme, 45,000 deserving individuals will receive interest-free loans worth Rs6.867 billion. Individual financing ranges from Rs300,000 to Rs1 million.