- Farmers in Punjab will get a subsidy of Rs 100 per liter of diesel per acre.
- Motorcyclists in Punjab will get Rs 100 for 20 liters of petrol.
- Sindh CM Murad announces subsidy of Rs2,000 per registered bike.
In response to the historic rise in oil prices, the governments of Sindh and Punjab have announced significant relief measures aimed at easing the burden on citizens and mitigating the impact of rising costs.
In Punjab, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif unveiled a “major relief package” as part of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s national austerity and savings package.
Under the package, all public transportation in the province – including the Orange Line train, metro bus, Speedo bus and green electric bus – will be free, allowing commuters to travel without purchasing tickets.
Additional measures include financial support to farmers, with a subsidy of PKR 100 per liter of diesel per acre. Motorcyclists will also get Rs100 for 20 liters of petrol.
Punjab CM Maryam said the global crisis and ongoing war in the Middle East have pushed up fuel prices, hitting countries like Pakistan the hardest, which rely heavily on imported oil.
She praised Prime Minister Shehbaz for maintaining oil prices for a month despite international challenges. “The government will not leave citizens alone to face difficulties,” she said.
The Punjab Chief Minister urged citizens to prefer public transport over private vehicles during the current crisis.
Maryam also urged citizens to register their motorcycles in their own name within 15 days to qualify for the subsidy.
Separately, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah announced relief measures including a subsidy of Rs 2,000 for every registered motorcyclist for the month of April. Payments will be transferred directly to owners’ verified bank accounts and motorcycle transfer fees have been waived.
Besides, the Sindh government announced support to small farmers, those owning up to 25 acres will get Rs 1,500 per acre for a month. Around 336,000 registered farmers are expected to benefit from this measure.
The relief package also includes support for public transport and the transportation sector. Registered passenger buses will get Rs 100,000 per vehicle per month, two-axle trucks Rs 70,000 per month and heavy trucks Rs 80,000 per month. Intra-city buses that consume more fuel will also receive additional support.
“Only registered vehicles are eligible for these subsidies,” said CM Murad
He said lower class rail fares would remain unchanged.
CM Murad reiterated that the Sindh government is committed to protecting the most vulnerable segments from economic shocks.
“Our priority is to provide targeted assistance where it is most needed, while maintaining fiscal responsibility. These measures will ensure that the common man is protected during this difficult time,” he concluded.
For support to the agriculture sector, CM Murad said around 336,000 small growers owning between 1 and 25 acres will get Rs 1,500 per acre.
“This subsidy aims to support diesel costs for wheat threshing. Since verified data is already available, payments will start from next week,” he said, adding that previous subsidy programs for fertilizers were implemented successfully and without complaints.
