Recently, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif made a major announcement regarding the government’s digital petrol subsidy scheme. He declared that IT Minister Shaza Fatima will receive a Tamgha on March 23. Interestingly, she earns this national honor instead of the Petroleum Minister. The Prime Minister shared this news while hosting an afternoon tea for the ministers and officials driving the initiative.
A Tamgha for IT Minister for A Rs. 75B Relief Package
Furthermore, Shehbaz Sharif described the subsidy scheme as a risky undertaking. It faced numerous challenges initially. However, joint efforts by the federal and provincial governments ensured its massive success. They relied entirely on a seamless digital process to reach more than 10 million registered citizens.
The government designed this scheme to provide direct financial relief to the public. Therefore, it offers a monthly subsidy of Rs. 2,000 to eligible citizens. This targeted group includes owners of motorcycles, Qingqi motorcycles, rickshaws, and vehicles with engines up to 800cc.
Overall, the government has allocated a massive budget of Rs. 75 billion for this initiative. Consequently, the Prime Minister confirmed that the subsidy program will continue its operations.
Scheme Impact & Usage Statistics
The digital rollout achieved significant public reach. In fact, nearly 96 percent of all motorcycle riders have already benefited from the scheme. When comparing these results to an earlier initiative launched in February, the rapid growth becomes clear. That previous program only managed to issue 1.3 million tokens at its absolute peak.
Here is the exact breakdown of the current scheme’s performance:
| Scheme Metric | Total Figures |
| Registered Citizens | Over 10.85 million |
| Vouchers Issued | Nearly 10.20 million |
| Total Tokens Issued | 27 million |
| Subsidized Petrol Purchased | 19.4 million tokens |
| Repeat Users (Second Time) | Around 9.28 million |
Recognizing the Key Contributors
Besides Shaza Fatima, the Prime Minister acknowledged several other prominent leaders for their crucial roles. He specifically praised Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, and Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani. In addition, officials from other participating departments will receive shields in recognition of their hard work.
Moreover, the Prime Minister credited multiple institutions for making this digital architecture a reality. He explicitly thanked the Petroleum Division, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), and the State Bank of Pakistan. Additionally, he recognized the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), and local telecom operators for their ongoing technical contributions.
Finally, Shehbaz Sharif expressed his gratitude to the provincial chief ministers and their respective teams. Their cooperation provided the essential administrative and financial support needed to expand the reach of this massive program.
