Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday ordered that the SMS required for registration under the PM Special Relief Scheme be made free of cost, directing authorities to launch a comprehensive awareness campaign and mobilise public representatives and volunteers to guide citizens in availing the fuel subsidy. The prime minister chaired a high level meeting to review progress on PM Special Relief Scheme to provide subsidy to low-income and middle class due to increase in prices of petroleum products in view of the situation in the Gulf.
Fuel subsidy will be provided to owners of motorcycles, rickshaws and vehicles up to 800 cc, under the scheme. The fuel subsidy scheme for residents of Islamabad has been launched, while relief on petrol will be available across the country including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan from the intervening night of September 16 and 17. The prime minister directed the administration, including the Islamabad chief commissioner and IG, to be present in the field to guide the public.
The public should be provided with all possible guidance in registration and other necessary steps, he said and instructed to mobilise public representatives and volunteers across the country to guide the public. The volunteers should guide the public in completing the registration and other necessary steps of the fuel subsidy scheme, he said, adding, a comprehensive media awareness campaign should be run regarding the fuel subsidy scheme.
The awareness campaign should be launched at full speed on all platforms including print, electronic, digital and social media, he remarked. He said all available means should be used to transfer the benefits of the fuel subsidy scheme to maximum deserving citizens. Timely information and guidance should be ensured to the public for the success of the scheme, he stressed.
During the briefing it was told that more than 600,000 SMS have been received in Islamabad region since the launch of the scheme till Monday afternoon. As many as 42,933 applicants have successfully registered for the PM Special Relief Scheme. Only four kinds of information will be required for registration for the fuel subsidy scheme.
Identity card number, vehicle number plate, province of registration and vehicle registration date are the four basic pieces of information required for registration in this scheme. Complete details of the fuel subsidy scheme are available on the Urdu website www.pmfuelrelief.pk. The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, federal ministers Musadik Malik, Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Attaullah Tarar, Ali Pervaiz Malik, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, Special Assistant Tariq Bajwa and senior officers of relevant institutions.
Meanwhile, Lebanese Minister of Interior and Municipalities Ahmad Al-Hajjar called on the prime minister and discussed matters of mutual interest. DPM Dar, Minister for Interior Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi, Minister for Housing Riaz Hussain Pirzada and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry were also present. The prime minister welcomed the Lebanese interior minister, reaffirming the longstanding fraternal ties between the two countries.
He also conveyed his warm wishes to the Lebanese leadership. The two sides reviewed bilateral relations and expressed satisfaction over growing cooperation in interior and security affairs. The prime minister condemned, in the strongest terms, Israel's aggression against Lebanon, and conveyed deep sympathy over the loss of precious lives and property caused by the attacks.
He reaffirmed Pakistan's unwavering solidarity with the Lebanese leadership and people during these difficult times, and reiterated Pakistan's steadfast support for Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Lebanese minister thanked the prime minister for the warm reception and reaffirmed Lebanon's desire to further strengthen bilateral cooperation with Pakistan. The prime minister also witnessed the signing of MoU on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, signed by the respective interior ministers.
The MoU provides a legal framework for convicted nationals to serve the remainder of their sentences in their home countries. Meanwhile, the prime minister said that Pakistan remained firmly committed to upholding the fundamental values of democracy, including equality, justice and freedom, as the country joined the international community in observing the International Day of Democracy. In his message on the day, the prime minister said the occasion provided an opportunity to reaffirm the nation's resolve to promote respect for the will of the people, safeguard human dignity and uphold the rule of law.
He said in a democratic system, authority was exercised through elected representatives of the people for their welfare and well-being, adding that Parliament, as the central democratic institution of the country, embodied the voice and aspirations of the people. The prime minister said the Constitution of Pakistan provided the legal framework governing the relationship between the state and its citizens. He noted that Article 25 of the Constitution guaranteed equal rights to all citizens and equality before the law, while also defining the respective roles of the federating units, safeguarding the constitutional standing of national institutions, and laying down the framework for governance and administration.
He said Pakistan's federal parliamentary democratic system entrusted Parliament with the responsibility to legislate in accordance with public interest and Islamic principles. He said formulating laws in line with public aspirations and the evolving demands of the contemporary era was among the fundamental responsibilities of Parliament. He prime minister emphasised that in order to effectively address the challenges of the present era and secure a prosperous future, it was imperative to remain steadfast in up.