Report: ANI
ISLAMABAD — Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Friday appreciated the collective efforts of federal and provincial governments and relevant institutions as the number of direct beneficiaries of the government’s fuel subsidy scheme crossed 10 million. He also announced a national award for Federal Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja.
Speaking at a high tea hosted to recognise ministers and government officials for implementing the scheme, the prime minister said the initiative had overcome several challenges through coordinated efforts and transparent implementation. He announced that other contributors would also receive shields in recognition of their dedication and hard work.
Shehbaz Sharif said the government had allocated Rs75 billion for the scheme and reaffirmed that it would continue. He thanked provincial governments and chief ministers for their cooperation, saying their support had been instrumental in expanding the programme.
The prime minister said the scheme was benefiting motorcyclists, rickshaw and Qingqi operators, and owners of cars up to 800cc. Considering an average household size of five, he estimated that around 50 million people were benefiting directly or indirectly.
He recalled that an earlier initiative launched in February had recorded approximately 1.3 million fuel subsidy tokens redeemed at its peak, adding that coordinated efforts had significantly expanded the reach of the current scheme.
The prime minister acknowledged the contributions of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, federal secretaries, provincial chief secretaries and other officials.
He also appreciated the role of the Petroleum Division, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), State Bank of Pakistan, National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), telecommunications operators and other institutions involved in implementation.
Shehbaz Sharif announced that Shaza Fatima Khawaja would receive a national award in March in recognition of her contribution to the initiative.
According to the figures shared at the event, more than 10.8 million citizens had registered for the scheme, while approximately 27 million tokens had been issued. Around 19.4 million tokens had been redeemed to obtain fuel at subsidised rates. Of these, approximately 9.2 million citizens had used tokens more than once, while nearly 96 per cent of beneficiaries were motorcyclists.
