Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. SCREENSHOT
LAHORE:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday urged provincial governments to provide their respective shares for the subsidy program at the earliest, expressing hope that all federal units would support the national relief effort.
He made the remarks while chairing a meeting to review progress made in the implementation of subsidies on petroleum products, against the backdrop of the current crisis triggered by the war raging in the Gulf.
The Prime Minister said the government was taking and would continue to take all possible measures to provide relief to the people during these difficult times. The meeting was briefed on the progress of granting subsidies, as well as the country’s fuel reserves and consumption.
He said passenger buses get a monthly subsidy of Rs 100,000, while minibuses and wagons get Rs 40,000 per month to avoid an increase in fares.
To check the rising prices of essential food items, each truck is given Rs 70,000, each large cargo vehicle Rs 80,000 and each delivery van Rs 35,000 per month as subsidy, he added.
The Prime Minister said that to ensure transparency, these amounts would be disbursed through digital wallets. He ordered the immediate release of grant funds, which began on Saturday, even though the grant was originally scheduled for Monday.
For this grant, all provincial governments have shared the details of trucks, buses and goods vehicles with the federal government.
He noted that the Balochistan government had already deposited the allocated amount for the national package, terming the move commendable, and thanked Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti.
The Prime Minister said a public assistance package worth Rs 129 billion had been implemented in the last three weeks, adding that the government could not leave the public alone in this difficult time. He further said that immediate relief was provided by reducing the petroleum tax by Rs 80 per litre.
Pakistan Railways is providing a subsidy of Rs 6 billion, due to which there has been no increase in fares of passenger and freight trains, he added. He also noted that the 25% quarterly toll increase has been removed.
The meeting was informed that sufficient fuel reserves are available in the country to meet national needs. The Intelligence Bureau presented a report on the implementation of the government’s austerity and simplicity measures.
Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Sunday announced that the government had secured a province-wide fare freeze after successful negotiations with transporters.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government on Sunday also launched the Ehsaas Fuel Support Scheme, under which owners of motorcycles, scooters and autorickshaws will get Rs 2,000.
“A sum of Rs2,000 will be paid to owners of motorcycles, scooters and rickshaws under the Ehsaas Shafi Jan.
