ISLAMABAD: More than 10 million people have benefited directly from the government’s fuel subsidy scheme, with around 19.4 million subsidy tokens redeemed so far, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Friday, reaffirming the government’s commitment to continue the programme with an allocation of Rs75 billion.
Addressing a high tea hosted for ministers and government officials tasked with implementing the scheme, the prime minister said more than 10.8 million citizens had registered, while approximately 27 million subsidy tokens had been issued.
He said around 9.2 million citizens had used subsidy tokens more than once, while motorcyclists accounted for nearly 96 percent of the beneficiaries.
The scheme covers eligible motorcyclists, rickshaw and Qingqi operators, as well as owners of cars with engine capacities of up to 800cc.
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The initiative provides eligible beneficiaries with fuel subsidies, with the benefits also extending indirectly to their families.
Based on an average household size of five, the prime minister estimated that around 50 million people were benefiting directly or indirectly from the programme.
Sharif said the scheme had faced several challenges and concerns during its planning stage, but coordinated efforts by the federal and provincial governments and relevant institutions had helped expand its reach.
He expressed gratitude to the provincial governments and their chief ministers for supporting the initiative, saying its progress would not have been possible without their cooperation.
The prime minister recalled that an earlier initiative launched in February had recorded a peak of around 1.3 million redeemed fuel subsidy tokens.
He said the concerted efforts of the federal and provincial governments had enabled the current scheme to reach considerably more people.
During the event, Sharif acknowledged the contributions of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Information Technology Minister Shaza Fatima and Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal.
He also recognised the efforts of relevant federal secretaries, provincial chief secretaries and officials from departments and institutions involved in implementing the programme.
The prime minister praised the officials for their dedication and teamwork, describing their collective efforts as instrumental in expanding the scheme’s coverage.
He specifically acknowledged the contributions of the Petroleum Division headed by Ali Pervaiz Malik, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), the State Bank of Pakistan, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), telecommunications operators and other relevant organisations.
Sharif announced that Shaza Fatima would receive a national award in March in recognition of her role in implementing the scheme.
Other ministers and officials involved in the initiative would also be presented with shields to acknowledge their contributions.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to the programme, the prime minister said the scheme would continue, with Rs75 billion allocated for the initiative.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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