Minister of State for Finance, Bilal Azhar Kiyani said on Friday that the Prime Minister's Fuel Relief Scheme was fully operational across the country, providing Rs500 worth of free petrol per week to eligible motorcyclists and Rs1,000 every 10 days to owners of cars up to 800cc through a quick registration process. Addressing a press conference along with Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima, he said applicants needed only their CNIC and vehicle registration card for registration, after which a token would be generated and the fuel relief added within minutes.
He clarified that the vehicle did not necessarily have to be registered in the applicant's own name for users of motorcycles, rickshaws, loaders and ChingChi rickshaws to benefit from the scheme, provided the registration card carried the required vehicle details. The SIM card used for registration, however, should match the applicant's CNIC. Kiyani said he had personally visited around 40 petrol pumps during the previous two days and witnessed the registration and disbursement process, adding that eligible citizens were receiving the fuel relief within minutes.
He urged government employees, students, workers, job seekers and the media to spread awareness about the scheme in villages, streets and neighbourhoods so that no eligible person was deprived of the facility. He said the government was working within the constraints of the ongoing International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme while directing available resources towards the segments most affected by higher fuel costs. Meanwhile, responding to questions about the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) proposed march, he said placing containers and taking other precautionary measures was not the government's preference but became necessary to ensure public safety.
Kiyani said Islamabad was not closed and normal movement was continuing in the capital and surrounding areas.