The prime minister directs strict action against petrol stations refusing subsidised fuel to registered beneficiaries as more than 15.5 million people enrol in the Fuel Relief Programme.
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed authorities to cancel the licences of petrol pumps that refuse to provide subsidised fuel to registered beneficiaries under the Prime Minister’s Fuel Relief Programme.
The directive was issued on Thursday during a meeting in Islamabad to review the programme’s progress, implementation and transparency, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
Shehbaz instructed the relevant authorities to take strict action against petrol stations that deny eligible consumers the subsidy, ensuring registered beneficiaries can receive the relief without unnecessary obstacles.
More than 15.5 million citizens registered
Officials informed the meeting that 15,519,282 citizens had registered under the programme.
The registrations included approximately 15.06 million motorcycle owners and 449,000 owners of vehicles with engine capacities of up to 800cc.
The briefing also showed that 63,153,685 fuel subsidy tokens had been issued, of which 59,445,347 had been redeemed by beneficiaries.
Rs28.6 billion disbursed under fuel scheme
The government has disbursed Rs28.6 billion under the fuel subsidy programme as of November 4, 2026, officials told the meeting.
Shehbaz expressed satisfaction with the programme’s progress and said simplifying registration and subsidy disbursement procedures had helped more deserving citizens access the facility.
He described the technology-based subsidy mechanism as a potential model for future public welfare initiatives.
Monitoring system and complaint centres
The prime minister praised IT and Telecommunication Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Federal Secretary Zarar Hashim Khan and their teams for developing a monitoring mechanism and dashboard to oversee the scheme.
The meeting was also informed that separate call centres had been established for consumers and petrol pump operators to provide information and address complaints.
The monitoring arrangements are intended to help authorities identify problems and ensure that registered beneficiaries receive the announced subsidy.
What the fuel relief programme offers
The programme was introduced to provide targeted assistance to motorcycle, rickshaw and small-car owners amid rising fuel costs.
Under the announced scheme, eligible two- and three-wheeler owners can receive a subsidy of Rs100 per litre on a monthly quota of up to 20 litres. Owners of vehicles with engine capacities of up to 800cc are eligible for the same per-litre subsidy on up to 30 litres monthly.
