Shehbaz Sharif Announces Continuation of Fuel Subsidy Scheme as Over 10 Million People Benefit
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced that the government will continue its fuel subsidy scheme to provide relief to the public, with Rs75 billion allocated for the initiative.
Speaking at a ceremony and luncheon held in honour of ministers and officials involved in the programme, the prime minister praised federal and provincial authorities for their efforts in delivering subsidies directly to eligible citizens through a digital system.
Shehbaz Sharif said more than 10 million people had benefited from the scheme at least once, calling the achievement a result of teamwork and cooperation between government departments and institutions.
He also thanked provincial governments for providing administrative and financial support, saying their involvement had helped overcome several challenges during the programme's implementation.
The prime minister said he had written to provincial chief ministers to personally acknowledge their cooperation and appreciate the efforts of their teams. He added that the initiative's progress would not have been possible without their support.
Fuel Subsidy Scheme Reaches Millions
Reflecting on the programme's earlier stages, Shehbaz Sharif recalled that the highest number of tokens issued during the initial phase stood at around 1.3 million.
At the time, questions had been raised about whether the scheme could be implemented successfully, given the large number of motorcycles, Qingqi rickshaws, three-wheelers and small cars with engine capacities of up to 800cc.
However, the prime minister said cooperation between federal and provincial authorities had helped expand the initiative, allowing millions more people to access subsidised fuel.
Under the scheme, eligible motorcycle owners, Qingqi and rickshaw operators, and owners of vehicles with engines up to 800cc have been receiving a monthly benefit of Rs2,000 through subsidised petrol.
Shehbaz Sharif said the assistance had helped households manage fuel expenses and provided indirect relief to family members who rely on these vehicles for everyday travel, including taking children to school.
More Than 10 Million Citizens Registered
The prime minister shared figures highlighting the programme's reach, saying more than 10.88 million citizens had registered under the scheme.
According to the figures presented at the event, 10.198 million vouchers had been issued, while a total of 27 million tokens had been generated. Of these, 19.4 million had been used by citizens to purchase petrol at subsidised rates.
He added that 9.277 million citizens had received and used tokens on more than one occasion. Around 96 per cent of motorcycle users had also benefited from the initiative, according to the figures shared.
The government has used a digital mechanism to manage registrations and distribute the benefits, with the aim of making the process more transparent and ensuring that eligible people can access the assistance.
Officials and Institutions Praised for Their Role
The prime minister acknowledged the work of several government departments and institutions involved in implementing the scheme.
These included the Petroleum Division, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), State Bank of Pakistan, National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), and telecommunications operators.
He also expressed appreciation for Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Information Technology Minister Shaza Fatima, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, and Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kiani.
Shehbaz Sharif thanked the secretaries and staff of the relevant ministries for their contributions, saying coordination among the different departments had played an important role in the programme's implementation.
With the government announcing the scheme's continuation, the initiative is expected to remain a key part of its efforts to provide fuel-cost relief to eligible households.
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