PM Shehbaz announces Rs100 per litre fuel relief for bikes, rickshaws, small cars

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif introduced a special fuel relief scheme on Sunday to alleviate the burden of increasing petrol prices on motorcycle, rickshaw, Qingqi, and small-car users, as global oil prices surged due to Middle East tensions, according to the PM Office. The government had previously raised petrol prices by Rs3.05 per litre and high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs5.37 per litre, in the fourth consecutive hike, starting from Friday to Monday.

The new relief program offers Rs100 per litre of petrol for motorcycles and rickshaws, with a monthly limit of 20 litres, and the same Rs100 per litre for small cars with engines up to 800cc, with a monthly limit of 30 litres. The scheme will commence in Islamabad from the night between Monday and Tuesday, and will be rolled out nationwide, including Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, from the night between Wednesday and Thursday.

Registration for the relief scheme opened on Sunday, with further details to be disseminated through an awareness campaign. The prime minister acknowledged the public's struggle with higher oil prices and pledged the government's support. International oil prices experienced a slight drop on Friday but were expected to rise by over 8% weekly, while US diesel prices hit a record high due to Middle East shipping route disruptions.