LAHORE: Motorcyclists in various cities across Pakistan have started receiving relief under the federal government’s petrol subsidy programme, bringing some respite to labourers and middle-class families at a time of high inflation.
In the first phase, motorcyclists at several fuel stations are being given a direct subsidy of Rs100 on 5 litres of petrol, according to local reports from the pumps.
The Prime Minister’s Fuel Relief Scheme, announced on September 13, began in Islamabad and was extended to the rest of the country at 11:59pm on Wednesday, September 16. Under the official terms, eligible users receive Rs100 off every litre of petrol within a capped monthly quota.
Owners of motorcycles, rickshaws and Qingqis can claim relief on up to 20 litres a month, while owners of cars up to 800cc can claim it on up to 30 litres a month. Vehicle owners must register their vehicle and mobile number to benefit.
Citizens, particularly motorcyclists, have welcomed the initiative. For daily-wage earners, delivery riders and office workers who depend on two-wheelers, even modest fuel savings make a real difference to monthly budgets.
Motorcycles are the backbone of personal mobility for millions of Pakistani households, often the only affordable way to commute, run a small business or reach a workplace in cities with limited public transport.
Alongside the praise, citizens have raised concerns about practical difficulties. They say the digital system and complex procedure are hard for illiterate people to understand, and that the government should introduce simpler ways to claim the subsidy.
Similar complaints have surfaced in Karachi, where residents told international media they had spent days struggling to complete registration using their motorcycle and national identity card numbers.
Many applicants say apps and complicated forms are a barrier. Workers and ordinary citizens have instead called for special booths at petrol pumps, where anyone seeking the facility could apply in person.
Supporters say on-site assistance would help the elderly, people without smartphones and those unfamiliar with online systems, who are often the very people the subsidy is meant to reach.
The government appears alert to these concerns. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who chaired meetings on the nationwide rollout, directed that registration be kept simple and accessible, called for effective public outreach at petrol stations, and asked that volunteers from the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme help with registration. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also announced free SMS registration for the scheme.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had earlier welcomed the federal relief package as a positive step amid the global oil surge.
Economists generally favour targeted subsidies over blanket price cuts because they protect vulnerable groups while limiting the burden on public finances. The trade-off is that targeting depends on registration systems simple enough for everyone to use.
The rollout comes as the Gulf crisis has pushed fuel prices sharply higher, with petrol prices rising again this week, and alongside a new federal austerity notification that cuts official fuel use by half.
How smoothly the scheme scales beyond its first phase will depend on how quickly registration difficulties are addressed. Consumer groups say clear public information at pumps, in Urdu and regional languages, would also help. Riders who have received the subsidy say it offers welcome breathing room when every rupee counts.
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