Punjab Imam Stipend 2026

For as long as anyone can remember, mosque imams across Punjab relied on whatever the local community could put together, small, irregular donations with no fixed amount and no guarantee. That changes this year. Punjab has become the first province in Pakistan’s history to formally pay mosque imams directly out of government funds, and the number attached to it is Rs. 25,000 a month.

Where This Announcement Actually Came From

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif announced the stipend on October 27, 2025, in Lahore, while chairing a meeting on law and order. She told officials that imams hold a respected position in society and that it wasn’t appropriate for local communities to keep collecting donations just to pay them. Her exact position was that the Punjab government would take direct responsibility for supporting mosque imams financially, to protect their dignity.

The same meeting also touched on mosque construction and renovation projects already included in the province’s Annual Development Programme, along with plans to enforce the Loudspeaker Act more strictly and set up a Cybercrime Cell.

How Many Imams This Actually Covers

Reported figures put the scale of this programme at roughly 65,000 to 70,000 mosque imams across Punjab, a number confirmed independently by multiple credible outlets covering the announcement. This makes it one of the largest direct welfare disbursements to a single professional group that the province has ever attempted.

What the Stipend Actually Looks Like

• Amount: Rs. 25,000 per month, per imam
• Payment method: A dedicated Bank of Punjab debit card, issued specifically for this programme
• Card rollout: Distribution began in January 2026, with full issuance targeted for completion by February 2026
• Administering bodies: The Punjab Auqaf Department, working alongside District Administrations

This isn’t a one-time payment or a bonus tied to a specific event. It’s structured as an ongoing monthly allowance, similar in spirit to a government salary, though delivered through Auqaf’s own welfare framework rather than as formal civil service employment.

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The Digital Mapping Behind This Programme

Before any payment system like this could work at scale, Punjab needed an accurate record of which mosques and imams actually exist. For the first time in the province’s history, authorities compiled data on roughly 20,863 religious seminaries and geo-tagged more than 56,000 mosques across Punjab.

This digital mapping matters for two reasons. It gives the government a genuine baseline to verify who’s eligible, and it creates a level of transparency that a purely manual, paper-based system never could.

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How Registration Actually Works

According to reporting after the initial announcement, the Punjab government set up dedicated counters at every tehsil office specifically to process stipend applications. These counters allow imams to submit their forms either manually, in person, or through an available online option, with the aim of getting payments moving within weeks of the registration drive starting.

A note on accuracy here: several websites online describe a specific step-by-step portal process, complete with an exact web address and numbered application steps. We were not able to independently verify these specific portal details through established news sources. If you’re an imam looking to register, your safest and most reliable route is to visit your local tehsil office directly or contact the Auqaf Department, rather than relying on a third-party website’s claimed step-by-step guide.

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What You’ll Likely Need to Register

Based on what’s been consistently reported about the programme’s structure, expect to need:

• Your CNIC
• Proof that you’re serving as the imam of a specific, identifiable mosque
• A confirmation or verification letter from your mosque committee
• A personal bank account, or willingness to be issue the dedicated Bank of Punjab card
• An active mobile number for verification and updates

Since the programme relies on the digital mapping of mosques, having your mosque’s details match what’s already recorded in that system will likely smooth out your verification.

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A Debate This Announcement Has Raised

This stipend hasn’t gone without criticism. Religious leaders from Punjab’s minority communities have pointed out that the programme, as announced, applies specifically to mosque imams and doesn’t extend to Christian clergy, Hindu pandits, Sikh granthis, or other minority religious leaders serving similarly under-resourced communities. Christian pastors in particular have noted that comparable government support could meaningfully help churches in economically strained areas.

This is worth knowing if you’re covering or discussing this programme, since it reflects a genuine, ongoing conversation about the scope of the initiative, not just a footnote.

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Why This Matters Beyond the Rs. 25,000 Figure

An imam receiving a fixed, predictable government stipend changes the basic economics of running a mosque. Community donations can now go toward maintenance, renovation, or programs rather than being the sole source of an imam’s personal income. It also gives the government, for the first time, a structured, verifiable relationship with tens of thousands of religious leaders across the province, something that carries implications well beyond the payment itself.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was the Punjab Imam stipend actually announced?
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif announc it on October 27, 2025, during a law and order meeting in Lahore.

How much do imams receive under this programme?
Rs. 25,000 per month, paid through a dedicated Bank of Punjab debit card.

How many imams does this cover?
Reports place the figure at roughly 65,000 to 70,000 mosque imams across Punjab.

Where should I register if I’m an eligible imam?
Visit your local tehsil office, where dedicate counters have been set up specifically for this programme, or contact the Auqaf Department directly rather than relying on third-party websites.

Does this stipend extend to religious leaders of other faiths?
No. As announced, it applies specifically to Muslim mosque imams, a point that has drawn criticism from minority community leaders in Punjab.

When did card distribution actually begin?
Distribution started in January 2026, with the government targeting full issuance by February 2026.

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