Summary Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed authorities to expand the fuel relief scheme, allowing motorcycles, rickshaws and Qingqi vehicles registered since January 2006 to qualify.
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed authorities to expand the PM Fuel Relief Scheme to include motorcycles, rickshaws and Qingqi rickshaws up to 20 years old, widening eligibility for the government’s targeted fuel assistance programme.
According to details announced on Thursday, all motorcycles, rickshaws and Qingqi rickshaws registered on or after January 1, 2006, will be eligible for registration under the scheme, subject to its other applicable conditions.
The directive is expected to bring a larger number of older vehicles within the scope of the programme, particularly motorcycles and three-wheelers that are widely used for personal mobility and livelihood purposes.
PM Shehbaz issued special instructions to facilitate the public by immediately including eligible older motorcycles, rickshaws and Qingqi vehicles in the programme.
Previously, owners of some older vehicles faced eligibility limitations under the scheme. The latest direction means vehicles registered during the past two decades can now be considered for fuel relief.
The expansion comes as registrations under the Prime Minister’s Fuel Relief Scheme have crossed one million, according to figures released separately by the Ministry of Information Technology.
The ministry said more than 800,000 tokens had also been generated across Pakistan, while a 24-hour control room was carrying out real-time monitoring of the programme.
Under the government-approved fuel relief framework, eligible motorcycle and rickshaw users can receive Rs500 per week, while qualifying owners of cars with engine capacity of up to 800cc can receive Rs1,000 every 10 days.
The programme is designed for non-commercial consumers, with one eligible vehicle per owner covered under the relief mechanism.
The inclusion of vehicles registered from January 1, 2006, could be particularly relevant for lower-income households that continue to rely on older motorcycles for daily transportation.
Rickshaws and Qingqi rickshaws are also widely used across Pakistani cities and smaller towns. The revised eligibility criteria will allow owners of qualifying older vehicles to register for the programme rather than being excluded solely because of the vehicle's age.
Applicants will still need to meet the registration and verification requirements prescribed by the authorities before receiving relief.
