Aadil Shezad
Apna Ghar Program Eligibility: Who Qualifies
You are eligible for the Wazir-e-Azam Apna Ghar Program if you are a Pakistani CNIC holder buying or building your first home, have not used a subsidised government housing loan before, and can pay 10% of the property value as equity. Salaried, self-employed, freelance and informal-income applicants all qualify, provided the bank is satisfied you can repay.
The five eligibility tests
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Step 1
Identity: a valid Pakistani CNIC. Overseas Pakistanis with NICOP have been accepted under the predecessor scheme; confirm with your chosen bank.
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Step 2
First home: you must not own a house or flat anywhere in Pakistan. Owning a plot is not a bar, because building on land you already own is one of the programme's purposes, but banks take an undertaking worded around a house or residential property, so confirm a plot-only case with your bank.
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Step 3
No earlier subsidy: you must not have taken a subsidised loan under a previous government housing scheme. The benefit is once per person.
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Step 4
Property within limits: a house up to 10 marla or a flat up to 1,500 sq ft.
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Step 5 · Final step
Repayment capacity: the bank must be satisfied that your income supports the instalment, and you must fund at least 10% equity.
The programme admits "all Pakistanis holding valid CNIC (not owning any flat or house)". An applicant who already owns a house or flat, or who previously received a subsidised house loan under a government scheme, is not eligible, and each individual may use the markup subsidy only once. A valid CNIC is the basic identity requirement.
Income categories accepted
| Category | Typical applicant | What the bank usually wants |
|---|---|---|
| Salaried | Government or private employee | Salary slips, employment certificate, 6-month bank statement |
| Business | Shop owner, trader, contractor | Business proof, bank statements, tax documents where available |
| Informal / non-documented | Daily wage, freelance, remittance-supported | Estimated-income assessment, utility and rent payment history, guarantor |
The informal category matters: banks may assess repayment ability without formal payslips, using estimated-income models and repayment surrogates such as regular rent or utility payments. That is how tailors, drivers and small shopkeepers can qualify.
Age, co-applicants and guarantors
- Age: banks generally require applicants to be adults with enough working years left to repay; a minimum age of 25 is commonly quoted, and the loan usually must finish before retirement age.
- Co-applicant: you can add a spouse, parent or sibling. Combined income improves the amount you qualify for.
- Guarantor: the application asks for a guarantor: a relative or friend who vouches for you.
Age and retirement-age rules come from bank practice rather than a published scheme rule, so they vary between banks. Ask your branch before applying.
How much you can borrow
The ceiling is Rs10 million, but your own limit is the lower of that ceiling, 90% of the property value, and what your income supports. As a rough guide, banks look for the instalment to sit within a comfortable share of your net monthly income.
| Financing | Instalment at 5%, 20 years | Income usually needed |
|---|---|---|
| Rs2.5 million | ~Rs16,500 | Roughly Rs50,000+ |
| Rs5 million | ~Rs33,000 | Roughly Rs100,000+ |
| Rs10 million | ~Rs66,000 | Roughly Rs200,000+ |
Income guides are SchemesPK estimates based on a one-third instalment-to-income rule of thumb, not an official scheme rule. Your bank's calculation decides.
Who does not qualify
- Existing home owners, including those who inherited a house in their name
- Anyone who has already taken a subsidised government housing loan
- Applicants seeking a house above 10 marla or a flat above 1,500 sq ft
- Buyers of commercial property, farmhouses or land without construction plans
- Applicants with no CNIC, or whose credit record shows unresolved defaults
Equity: the 10% you must arrange
The Apna Ghar Program finances up to 90% of the property, so the applicant must contribute at least 10% as equity. On a Rs10 million property that is Rs1 million from your own funds, paid before disbursement. Applicants may contribute more than 10%, which reduces the financed amount and the monthly instalment.
Common questions
My wife owns a flat. Can I still apply?
The first-home condition is assessed on the applicant. Banks may also review household ownership, so declare it and ask your branch before applying.
I own a plot. Does that count as owning property?
No. Owning a plot does not disqualify you, and building on it is an allowed purpose.
Can overseas Pakistanis apply?
NICOP holders were eligible under the earlier scheme. Confirm current treatment with the bank before you start.
Ready to apply? Follow the step-by-step apnaghar.gov.pk guide, or return to the Apna Ghar Program overview. Not sure your property qualifies? See property and construction rules.
Sources. Official: State Bank of Pakistan, Circular Letter 01 of 2026 (17 Mar 2026) (cap, rate and property limits); State Bank of Pakistan: scheme hub (eligibility and participating banks); Ministry of Housing & Works. News: ProPakistani, 5 May 2026 (application fields); Pakistan Observer, 29 Apr 2026.
SchemesPK is an independent guide and is not affiliated with the Government of Pakistan. Official website: apnaghar.gov.pk.