ISLAMABAD: The federal government has broadened the Prime Minister’s Fuel Relief Scheme to cover motorcycles, rickshaws and Qingqi rickshaws that are up to 20 years old, offering financial relief to owners facing higher fuel costs.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered the immediate inclusion of older motorcycles, rickshaws and Qingqi rickshaws in the fuel relief programme.
Under the updated eligibility criteria, motorcycles, rickshaws and Qingqi rickshaws registered on or after January 1, 2006, can now apply for the scheme. Previously, the programme was limited to motorcycles and three-wheelers registered from January 1, 2011, onward.
The Prime Minister’s Fuel Relief Scheme offers registered beneficiaries a Rs100-per-litre discount on petrol. The initiative was introduced to reduce the financial pressure on citizens following an increase in fuel prices linked to tensions in the Middle East.
“The government is fully aware of the burden being placed on the people due to the increase in oil prices,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said, according to an official statement. He added that the government would continue supporting people during the difficult period.
Meanwhile, payments to petrol stations under the relief programme have started, according to the Petroleum Pump Owners Association.
The association said Rs12.2 million had been disbursed to 868 petrol pumps against claims submitted for September 16. It added that the entire amount claimed by the participating stations had been paid.
The digital system developed for the fuel relief programme has also been activated. Registered beneficiaries can now use the subsidy at participating petrol stations across Pakistan, while real-time monitoring of subsidised petrol distribution is also being carried out.
Minister of State for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima said approximately one million people had registered for the petrol relief scheme so far.
The expansion comes as higher petroleum prices continue to put pressure on household budgets. Pakistan’s weekly inflation rose by 0.49%, with the annualised weekly inflation rate reaching 10.64%, according to the latest Pakistan Bureau of Statistics report.
The PBS report showed that prices of 19 essential commodities increased during the week, while nine items recorded declines.
Among petroleum products, diesel prices rose by 7.29%, while petrol became 6.40% more expensive. LPG prices also increased by 3.26% during the week.
