To apply for an online loan in Pakistan safely, use only the official portal of the scheme, typed into your browser: apnaghar.gov.pk for the PM house loan, acag.punjab.gov.pk for Punjab house loans, pmybals.pmyp.gov.pk for the PM youth loan. For a loan app, the lender must be a licensed NBFC and the app must be on the SECP list of approved digital lending apps. No real scheme asks you to pay a registration fee to a person. As of 28 October 2026, report harassment to the NCCIA on 1799.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Who licenses loan apps | SECP (Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan), through licensed NBFCs |
| Where to check an app | secp.gov.pk: list of licensed NBFCs and white list of approved digital lending apps |
| Latest SECP app list we found | Dated 5 December 2025 (look for a newer one) |
| Cybercrime helpline | NCCIA, 1799 (launched June 2025) |
| Registration fee on real schemes | None paid to a person or wallet. Any such request is a scam sign |
| Checked on | 28 October 2026 |
Official Online Portals for Government Loans
When you search "online loan apply" or "loan apply online", many results are blogs, agents or copy-cat sites. Start from the official address instead. Type it yourself into the browser and bookmark it.
| Loan | Official place to apply | Guide on this site |
|---|---|---|
| PM Apna Ghar house loan (Ghar Ho Tu Apna, earlier Mera Ghar Mera Ashiana) | apnaghar.gov.pk, or a participating bank branch | Mera Ghar Mera Ashiana, PM Apna Ghar |
| Punjab Apni Chhat Apna Ghar (house loan, own plot) | acag.punjab.gov.pk | Apni Chhat Apna Ghar |
| PM Youth Business and Agriculture Loan Scheme (earlier Kamyab Jawan) | pmybals.pmyp.gov.pk (online application, partner banks process the loan) | PM youth loan |
| Punjab Asaan Karobar Finance and Asaan Karobar Card | akf.punjab.gov.pk and akc.punjab.gov.pk, helpline 1786 | Asaan Karobar |
| All federal and Punjab schemes in one place | Each scheme's own portal above | Loan schemes 2026, Maryam Nawaz loans |
Scheme status changes. Our Maryam Nawaz loan guide reported in October 2026 that new Asaan Karobar Card registrations had been stopped while Asaan Karobar Finance stayed open. Always check the portal itself for the current status. For bank house loans, see our bank house loan guide.
How to Apply for a Loan Online Safely, Step by Step
- Decide which loan you need. House, business, farm or personal. Government schemes are for specific purposes, so pick the right one first.
- Type the official address. Do not tap a link from a message or a video. Look for the .gov.pk ending and the padlock sign.
- Read the eligibility rules on the portal. Check age, CNIC, province and income limits before you register.
- Keep your documents ready. See our documents checklist. Upload only what the portal asks for.
- Use your own CNIC and mobile number. Do not hand your SIM, OTP or login to an agent.
- Save the tracking number or application ID. Take a screenshot of the confirmation page.
- Deal with the bank directly. Visit a real branch of the named bank. Ask for the loan terms in writing.
- Never pay a stranger. If someone asks for money to "approve" or "fast track" your loan, stop.
You can also read our guides on the Apna Ghar login portal and the loan calculator before you apply.
How to Check if a Loan App Is Licensed (SECP)
In Pakistan, only companies licensed by SECP as non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) can lend through digital loan apps. SECP publishes a list of licensed NBFCs and a white list of approved digital lending apps on secp.gov.pk. Google allows only SECP-approved personal loan apps on its Play Store in Pakistan, according to Business Recorder (4 October 2023).
- Go to secp.gov.pk and open the digital lending apps white list.
- Find the exact app name. A similar name is not enough.
- Note the NBFC that runs it. Check that the company is on the licensed list too.
- Download the app only from Google Play or the App Store. SECP and Business Recorder reported in 2023 that illegal operators had begun spreading apps as APK files through websites and WhatsApp.
- If the app is not on the list, do not install it.
People search for names such as Hakeem loan app. We have not verified that app and we neither recommend nor reject it. Check the exact name against the SECP lists. If you cannot find it there, treat it as unlicensed.
SECP updates its list as apps are approved or rejected. The latest version we could find was dated 5 December 2025. We could not open the SECP file directly while writing this guide, so open the live page and read the date on it.
Warning Signs of Illegal Loan Apps
- It asks for contacts, gallery or SMS access. A loan does not need your photos or contact list. The Express Tribune reported on 7 October 2026 that the NCCIA arrested 39 people at a Lahore call centre whose loan apps asked for gallery and contact access. Staff allegedly used edited photos to pressure borrowers.
- Tiny loan, huge repayment. In a 2023 case reported by The Standard, a debt grew from Rs13,000 to Rs800,000 before the PTA blocked 43 apps.
- Hidden charges. Large "processing" or "service" fees taken out of the amount you receive.
- Very short repayment dates, often a few days.
- Threats and abusive messages, or messages sent to your family and contacts.
- The app is outside the official stores or arrives as an APK file.
- No company name, licence or address shown in the app.
- An interest-free loan with "minimal requirements" advertised on Facebook. SECP warned about exactly this in May 2025.
Fake Scheme Links on WhatsApp and Facebook, and "Registration Fee" Scams
SECP said in May 2025 that after 141 unauthorised lending apps were shut down, fraudsters moved to social media. Sponsored Facebook ads promised quick, interest-free loans and used the names of reputable organisations. Victims were asked to pay processing, registration, insurance or account verification fees. Then the scammers vanished (ProPakistani, 22 May 2025).
What real schemes never ask for
- A fee sent through JazzCash, Easypaisa or a personal account to "register" or "approve" your loan.
- Your OTP, PIN, card number or online banking password.
- Your CNIC photo sent on WhatsApp to an unknown number.
- Payment to an "agent", "dealer" or "office" for a faster result.
- A link to a website that does not end in .gov.pk for a government scheme.
A bank may charge ordinary property valuation or legal costs directly. Ask for these in writing and pay only to the bank. Our Apna Ghar helpline guide explains how to find real contact numbers, and our last date guide covers fake deadline messages.
If a message says "limited seats, pay today", treat it as a scam. Open the official portal yourself and check.
How to Complain About a Loan App or Scam
| Problem | Where to report |
|---|---|
| Harassment, blackmail, edited photos, hacking, online fraud | NCCIA cybercrime helpline 1799. The NCCIA now handles cybercrime complaints that older pages send to the FIA |
| Illegal or unlicensed lending app, NBFC conduct | SECP complaint section on secp.gov.pk/complaints (the online portal and email options are listed there) |
| Complaint against a bank | First the bank's complaint unit. Then the State Bank's Sunwai portal at sunwai.sbp.org.pk or the Banking Mohtasib |
| Fake Apna Ghar caller or link | NCCIA 1799. Scheme helplines are in our helpline guide |
Before you report
- Save screenshots of chats, call logs, payment receipts and the app page.
- Write down the app name, the phone number and the dates.
- Uninstall the app and change your passwords, but keep the evidence.
- If your phone was accessed, warn your family before the lender contacts them.
Housing Loans You Can Start Online
This is a housing guide, so here is the safe route for house loans. The PM Apna Ghar Programme offers up to Rs10 million at a fixed 5% for the first 10 years, according to our scheme guide. Apply at apnaghar.gov.pk or at a participating bank. Punjab residents who own a small plot can look at Apni Chhat Apna Ghar through acag.punjab.gov.pk. Compare options in Apna Ghar vs Apni Chhat Apna Ghar. Youth applicants can also read the federal loan guide. For Sindh and KP, see this guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use only the official portal of the scheme: apnaghar.gov.pk or a participating bank for the PM house loan, acag.punjab.gov.pk for Apni Chhat Apna Ghar, pmybals.pmyp.gov.pk for the PM youth loan, and akf.punjab.gov.pk or akc.punjab.gov.pk for Asaan Karobar. Type the address yourself. Do not use links from WhatsApp, Facebook or SMS.
Only if the app belongs to a licensed NBFC and is on the SECP list of approved digital lending apps. Apps outside that list have been linked to data misuse, blackmail and harassment. Check the SECP list before you install anything.
Open secp.gov.pk, find the list of licensed NBFCs and the white list of approved digital lending apps, and match both the company name and the app name. If either is missing, do not install it. The latest list we could find was dated 5 December 2025, so look for a newer one.
We cannot confirm that. This guide does not endorse any app by name. Search for the exact app and company name on the SECP lists. If it does not appear there, treat it as unlicensed.
The schemes named in this guide do not ask you to pay a person or a mobile wallet to get a loan approved. SECP has warned about fake loan ads that ask for processing, registration, insurance or verification fees before any loan is paid. A bank may charge normal property or documentation costs directly, so ask for them in writing.
Do not pay extra under pressure. Take screenshots of messages and call logs, keep the evidence, and report it to the NCCIA cybercrime helpline 1799. You can also report the app to SECP through the complaint section of its website.
Report harassment and blackmail to the NCCIA on 1799. Report the app and the lender to SECP through the complaint section of secp.gov.pk. For a complaint about a bank, start with the bank and then use the State Bank Sunwai portal.
The Express Tribune reported on 7 October 2026 that the NCCIA arrested 39 people at an illegal call centre in Lahore. It was linked to instant loan apps that asked for gallery and contact access, and staff allegedly threatened borrowers who had defaulted.
The Kamyab Jawan youth loan now runs as the Prime Minister Youth Business and Agriculture Loan Scheme. Apply only on pmybals.pmyp.gov.pk. See our PM youth loan guide for the tiers and amounts.
Yes. The PM Apna Ghar Programme accepts applications at apnaghar.gov.pk or at a participating bank branch. Punjab residents with their own plot can apply for Apni Chhat Apna Ghar at acag.punjab.gov.pk. See the linked guides for amounts and steps.
Disclaimer: Apna Ghar Guide is an independent information site, not a government website. Always apply through official portals. Information verified from SECP press releases (13 February 2023 to 22 May 2025), Business Recorder (4 October 2023), The Standard (18 July 2023), ProPakistani (22 May 2025), The Express Tribune (7 October 2026) and State Bank of Pakistan pages, checked on 28 October 2026.