PM’s Fuel Relief Scheme to begin nationwide from Wednesday night

The Prime Minister’s Fuel Relief Scheme will be launched across Pakistan at midnight between Wednesday and Thursday, the deputy prime minister’s office said in a statement on Tuesday.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar chaired a meeting of the National Steering Committee on Fuel Subsidy to review the nationwide rollout of the Prime Minister’s Special Relief Scheme.

"Registration is now open nationwide through SMS to 9771," the statement said, adding that redemption of fuel tokens will commence at midnight between Wednesday and Thursday.

"DPM/FM directed that payments to fuel stations be settled within 24 hours through the State Bank of Pakistan and instructed provinces to complete district-level outreach to ensure seamless delivery of relief to the intended beneficiaries," read the statement.

In a separate meeting, the deputy prime minister directed officials to make the registration procedure simple and easily accessible so that eligible people could benefit without difficulty.

He also called for better public awareness and instructed the relevant authorities to ensure that the system worked smoothly at petrol stations.

Dar asked elected representatives to help spread information about the scheme and assist people with registration. Volunteers associated with the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme will also be involved in outreach and registration activities.