Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Friday digitally launched the “Rehmat Card” programme, aimed at providing financial assistance to 50,000 widows and orphaned children across the province.

The initiative, introduced for the first time in Punjab, has been allocated Rs5 billion from the provincial Zakat fund. Under the scheme, each eligible beneficiary will receive Rs100,000.

Officials said the programme is specifically designed for Shariah-compliant Zakat recipients, including deserving Muslim widows and orphans. Government employees, pensioners, and financially well-off individuals will not qualify.

Applicants can register through a dedicated mobile application or web portal, while a helpline (1077) has been set up for guidance.

Beneficiaries will be selected through the Punjab Socio-Economic Registry (PSER) database on a district quota basis, with additional verification carried out through NADRA where required.

Financial assistance will be disbursed via JazzCash wallet accounts, with service charges to be covered by the provincial government.

Speaking at the launch, the chief minister said the programme aims to ensure social dignity and economic empowerment for vulnerable groups.

She added that the initiative was launched under the guidance of former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif and reflects the government’s focus on welfare-driven governance.

“No widow or orphan should feel helpless or abandoned,” she said, adding that the government remains committed to public service over conventional politics.