Govt and Petrol Pump Owners Finally Agree on Fuel Relief Scheme

The government and petrol pump owners have reached a consensus on the Fuel Relief Scheme, with both sides acknowledging the importance of the payment mechanism. Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik briefed representatives from petroleum pump dealers' associations on Thursday about the implementation process. The scheme has been allocated funds for three months, with Rs.

25 billion already provided to the State Bank of Pakistan for timely reimbursements. The State Bank assured participants that claims under the scheme would be processed within 48 hours. Additionally, the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications discussed the digital system put in place to manage the scheme, and a dedicated control room was established to assist petrol pumps and handle their inquiries.

Petrol pump owners welcomed the scheme and pledged their cooperation, while also raising questions about the operational mechanism, which were addressed during the meeting. The Petroleum and Dealers' Associations (PPDA) office bearers expressed satisfaction with the negotiations that ended the deadlock, and assured the government of their support in implementing the scheme.

They hoped that the timely execution of the agreed payment mechanism would alleviate the concerns of petroleum dealers. Ali Pervaiz Malik praised the dealers' cooperation and emphasized the significance of coordination among all stakeholders to ensure the successful, transparent and timely implementation of the relief program.