ISLAMABAD – Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, a high-level meeting was held to review the government’s progress on implementing subsidies for petroleum products amid recent regional tensions. Officials were briefed on the availability of fuel reserves and national consumption patterns.
The Prime Minister announced that passenger buses will receive Rs100,000 per month, while minibuses and wagons will get Rs40,000 per month to prevent fare hikes. To curb increases in food prices, trucks will receive Rs70,000, heavy goods vehicles Rs80,000, and delivery vans Rs35,000 monthly.
For transparency, all subsidies will be disbursed digitally, with immediate implementation already underway. Although the subsidy was initially scheduled to start on Monday, the Prime Minister directed it to begin on Saturday, a holiday, to provide timely relief. Provincial governments have submitted detailed records of trucks, buses, and goods vehicles to the federal government to facilitate this process.
The Prime Minister appreciated Balochistan’s government for promptly contributing its share to the national package and thanked Chief Minister Sardar Sarfaraz Bugti, expressing hope that other provinces would follow suit quickly. He noted that Rs129 billion has already been allocated as a public relief package over the past three weeks, emphasizing that citizens will not be left unsupported during this difficult time.
Additional relief measures include an immediate Rs80 per liter reduction in petrol levy, a Rs6 billion subsidy for Pakistan Railways to prevent fare increases on passenger and freight trains, and the reversal of a 25% quarterly toll tax hike.
Officials also confirmed that sufficient fuel reserves exist to meet the country’s needs, and the Intelligence Bureau presented a report on the government’s austerity and efficiency measures.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, federal ministers Dr. Musadik Malik, Attaullah Tarar, Ali Parvez Malik, Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Ahsan Iqbal, Shiza Fatima Khawaja, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kiani, special assistants Talha Burki and Tariq Bajwa, DG IB, and other senior officials.
