Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has told officials to strip petrol stations of their licences when they refuse to pay the fuel subsidy to people who are registered for it. He issued the instruction on Thursday while reviewing the fuel relief programme in Islamabad. The Prime Minister's Office later said he was pleased with how the scheme is being run.
What the review heard
According to a statement from the PMO, Sharif credited simpler sign-up and payment steps for a rise in registrations, which he said lets more deserving citizens benefit. He called the technology-based model a "game changer" for future public welfare initiatives. He also praised Information Technology and Telecommunication Minister Shaza Fatima and Secretary Zarar Hashim Khan for building a monitoring dashboard for the programme.
Officials told the meeting that 15,519,282 people, or about 15.52 million, have registered so far. Of them, 15.06 million are motorcycle owners and 449,000 own vehicles with engines up to 800cc. Separate call centres have been set up for consumers and for petrol pumps, to answer questions and take complaints.
Numbers shared at the meeting
Officials said 63,153,685 fuel tokens, or more than 63.15 million, have been issued under the scheme. Of those, 59,445,347 (about 59.45 million) have been redeemed. Dividing the used figure by the issued figure gives roughly 94 per cent, a simple calculation from the two numbers.
Payments totalling Rs28.6 billion had been made as of Nov 4, according to the briefing.
How the subsidy works
Sharif announced the scheme in September, aimed at motorcycle and rickshaw owners as well as those driving vehicles up to 800cc. Two- and three-wheeler owners can claim Rs100 per litre for up to 20 litres a month. Owners of vehicles up to 800cc get the same Rs100 rate, but on up to 30 litres a month.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- September: Shehbaz Sharif announces the relief scheme for motorcycle, rickshaw and up-to-800cc vehicle owners.
- As of Nov 4: Payments under the scheme reach Rs28.6 billion.
- Thursday: The Prime Minister reviews progress, praises the programme and orders licence cancellation for pumps that fail to serve registered beneficiaries.
Aasan alfaaz mein
PM Shehbaz Sharif ne hukm diya hai ke jo petrol pump registered logon ko fuel subsidy na de, uska licence cancel ho sakta hai. Do aur teen pahiyon ke maalik har mahine 20 litre tak petrol par har litre Rs100 subsidy le sakte hain, aur 800cc tak ki gaariyon ke maalik 30 litre tak. Ab tak 15.5 million se zyada log register ho chuke hain aur Rs28.6 billion adaa kiye ja chuke hain. Agar pump subsidy na de to aap call centre par shikayat kar sakte hain.
