• Musadik announces Rs100 fuel discount for motorcyclists, owners of cars up to 800cc
• Monthly quota for motorbikes will be 21 litres, cars to be allowed one full tank

LAHORE: Just a day after the announcement of Rs50 subsidy on each litre of petrol for the ‘less privileged’, State Minister for Petroleum Dr Musadik Malik on Monday announced the government will provide petrol at Rs100 less than the official rate for motorbikes and cars of up to 800cc.

“The initial working was to provide petrol at Rs50 less than the Ogra-notified rate to the people having motorcycles and (up to 800cc) cars, but on Sunday night, the prime minister conveyed to us give petrol to the people Rs100 less than the notified rate,” Dr Malik told a press conference.

“However, the petrol for the rich people having cars/vehicles of over 800cc would be costlier, as the objective of the government move is to help a majority of poor people — 210 million of the total 220 million population of the country,” the petroleum minister said.

“So we have separated the Pakistan of the poor and the Pakistan of the rich,” he said, adding that giving petrol to the rich costlier “would help us in giving fuel to the poor on cheaper rates”.

Talking about gas, he said the gas tariff for the poor and the rich had already been separated with effect from January 1 this year.

“The gas bill of the poor will be much less than the rich,” the minister said. The gas consumption (per unit) rate for the rich would be one-fourth higher than that charged to the poor.

“The target subsidy on the electricity is already in place, as those using electri­city up to 400 units are rec­eiving cheaper bills,” he said, adding that the planning for the next scheme for helping the poor people was also being worked out.

Mechanism

While discussing the mechanism of providing petrol to the people on cheaper rates, he said that PM Shehbaz Sharif had given 45 days to implement this scheme. For this, he said, the government was collecting data of such people through registered motorcycles and cars, computerised national identity cards and the mobile phones.

The minister said it was earlier planned to give discounted fuel cards to the people, but the proposed move appeared to be costly.

“And now it has been decided to use EasyPaisa, JazzCash etc services. Such people having smart or ordinary phones would receive a text message through which they could register and get the code that will be used by the people while getting petrol at petrol stations. The monthly quota for those having bikes would be 21 litres. The discounted petrol for those having cars would be one-time full-tank filling,” he clarified.

Published in Dawn, March 21st, 2023

Follow Dawn Business on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for insights on business, finance and tech from Pakistan and across the world.

Opinion

Editorial

Military option
Updated 21 Nov, 2024

Military option

While restoring peace is essential, addressing Balochistan’s socioeconomic deprivation is equally important.
HIV/AIDS disaster
21 Nov, 2024

HIV/AIDS disaster

A TORTUROUS sense of déjà vu is attached to the latest health fiasco at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital. The largest...
Dubious pardon
21 Nov, 2024

Dubious pardon

IT is disturbing how a crime as grave as custodial death has culminated in an out-of-court ‘settlement’. The...
Islamabad protest
Updated 20 Nov, 2024

Islamabad protest

As Nov 24 draws nearer, both the PTI and the Islamabad administration must remain wary and keep within the limits of reason and the law.
PIA uncertainty
20 Nov, 2024

PIA uncertainty

THE failed attempt to privatise the national flag carrier late last month has led to a fierce debate around the...
T20 disappointment
20 Nov, 2024

T20 disappointment

AFTER experiencing the historic high of the One-day International series triumph against Australia, Pakistan came...