ISLAMABAD: On Saturday, the government unveiled significant revisions to the Prime Minister’s Fuel Relief Initiative, aimed at easing the financial burden on users of motorcycles, rickshaws, and Qingqi vehicles by eliminating SMS charges.
During a press conference, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, the Minister for IT and Telecommunications, announced the removal of the previously imposed limit of Rs500 per token for two- and three-wheeled vehicles. She elaborated that eligible users would now be able to obtain four tokens each month, with every token offering a relief of Rs500. For instance, if the price of two liters of petrol amounts to Rs780, the beneficiary will only have to pay Rs280 after utilizing the relief token.
Additionally, the minister highlighted another critical amendment: the complete removal of SMS fees for all participants in the program. This means that whether individuals own a vehicle with an engine capacity of 800cc or a two- or three-wheeler, sending an SMS will incur no charges.
Details on Token Redemption
Khawaja further reported that as of 3 PM on Saturday, over 1.75 million registrations had been completed under the relief scheme, leading to the generation of approximately 1.5 million tokens.
In conjunction with this, the National Steering Committee on Fuel Subsidy, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, approved the process for redeeming fuel tokens via SMS for petrol stations located in areas lacking internet service. The committee has requested that regions such as Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and other provinces provide lists of these stations so they can be integrated into the scheme promptly.
Registration for the program remains open nationwide, accessible through SMS to the number 9771.
The meeting involved various high-level officials, including ministers from petroleum and economic affairs, the SBP deputy governor, the Ogra chairman, and other senior representatives from AJK, GB, and Balochistan, ensuring a collaborative approach to implementing these changes.
