ISLAMABAD – The federal government on Sunday announced a petroleum relief package of Rs50 per litre for low-income people across Pakistan.
The move comes at a time when ousted prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is running a vigorous election campaign in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The decision was made at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Lahore on Sunday. Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Malik briefed the meeting about the strategy to implement the petroleum subsidy for low-income people.
PM Sharif was informed that consumers using small vehicles, including motorcycles, rickshaws and 800 CC vehicles, would benefit from the petroleum subsidy. The prime minister directed the authorities to finalise a plan at the earliest for effective implementation of the subsidy.
The premier said that motorcycles, rickshaws and small vehicles are used by low-income people therefore petroleum subsidy would provide direct relief to the poor. He said the government was trying to help the poor in every possible way despite a severe economic crisis in the country.