Islamabad: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has announced a special relief scheme to ease the growing financial burden on the public following a surge in global oil prices amid the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
Speaking at the launch of the initiative, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the government fully understands the difficulties being faced by the public due to the increase in petrol prices. He assured citizens that the government would not leave them alone during these challenging times and would make every possible effort to provide relief.
Under the special scheme, users of motorcycles, rickshaws, Qingqi rickshaws and small cars with engine capacities of up to 800cc will receive a petrol subsidy of Rs100 per litre.
According to the details, users of motorcycles, rickshaws, Qingqi rickshaws and other two- and three-wheelers will be eligible for a Rs100-per-litre relief on up to 20 litres of petrol per month. This means eligible users can receive a maximum monthly benefit of Rs2,000.
Owners of small cars with engine capacities of up to 800cc will receive the same Rs100-per-litre relief on up to 30 litres of petrol per month, allowing them to receive a maximum monthly benefit of Rs3,000.
The prime minister said the scheme would be implemented in phases. In Islamabad, the relief will take effect during the night between Monday and Tuesday, while the scheme will be extended across the rest of the country, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, during the night between Wednesday and Thursday.
Registration for the special relief scheme has also been opened from today. The government will launch an awareness campaign to inform the public about the registration process and other relevant details.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also thanked the provincial governments for their cooperation in providing the required information regarding motorcycles, rickshaws and small vehicles and for supporting the registration process.
