Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. SCREEN GRAB
LAHORE:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday urged the provincial governments to give their respective shares to the relief package at the earliest and expressed hope that all federating units would support the national relief effort.
He made these remarks while chairing a meeting to review progress on the implementation of subsidies on petroleum products amid the ongoing crisis triggered by a war raging in the Gulf.
The Prime Minister said the government is taking and will continue to take all possible measures to help the public in these challenging times. The meeting was briefed on the progress of the subsidy allocation as well as on the country’s fuel reserves and consumption.
He said that passenger buses get a monthly subsidy of Rs100,000, while minibuses and coaches receive Rs40,000 a month to prevent a hike in fares.
To check the rise in prices of essential food items, each truck will get Rs 70,000, each large cargo vehicle Rs 80,000 and each van Rs 35,000 per month as subsidy, he added.
The Prime Minister said that to ensure transparency, these amounts are disbursed through digital wallets. He directed the immediate release of grant funds, which began on Saturday, although the grant was originally scheduled for Monday.
For this subsidy, all provincial governments have shared information about trucks, buses and freight vehicles with the federal government.
Noting that the Government of Balochistan has already deposited its allotted amount for the national package, terming the move commendable, he thanked Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti.
The Prime Minister said that a public relief package worth Rs 129 billion has been delivered over the past three weeks, adding that the government cannot leave the public alone in this difficult time. He further stated that immediate relief was given by reducing oil tax by Rs80 per litres.
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 He also noted that the 25% quarterly increase in toll has been withdrawn.
The meeting was informed that sufficient fuel reserves are available in the country to meet national requirements. The intelligence office presented a report on the implementation of the government’s savings and simplification measures.
Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah announced on Sunday that the government secured a freeze on fares across the province after successful negotiations with transporters.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government also launched the Ehsaas Fuel Support program on Sunday, under which owners of motorcycles, scooters and rickshaws will be given Rs2,000.
“An amount of Rs 2,000 will be given to motorcycle, scooter and rickshaw owners under Ehsaas Shafi Jan.
