Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced a national award for IT Minister Shaza Fatima for her role in rolling out the government’s petrol subsidy scheme, which has now signed up more than 10 million citizens through a fully digital process.
The prime minister made the announcement at an afternoon tea held for the ministers and officials behind the scheme, where he said the Tamgha would be formally conferred on March 23. Officials from other departments who worked on the programme will receive shields in recognition of their part, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
How the petrol subsidy scheme works
The programme pays a monthly subsidy of Rs2,000 to eligible owners of motorcycles, Qingqi rickshaws, auto-rickshaws and small vehicles with engines of up to 800cc. The government has set aside Rs75 billion for the initiative, and the prime minister confirmed it will continue.
Registrations run through a digital system rather than paper applications. The prime minister thanked the Petroleum Division, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority, the State Bank of Pakistan, NADRA, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and telecom operators for building and running the platform.
The numbers so far
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, 10.85 million citizens have registered under the scheme. Vouchers have been issued to nearly 10.2 million people, and 27 million tokens have been generated. Subsidised petrol has been purchased against 19.4 million of those tokens.
Around 9.28 million citizens have used the facility twice, and the prime minister claimed nearly 96 percent of motorcycle riders have benefited from the programme.
Shehbaz compared the figures with an earlier attempt launched in February, when only 1.3 million tokens were issued at the peak. He credited cooperation between the federation and the provinces for the expanded reach of the current round.
“Risky undertaking” that paid off
The Prime Minister’s Office described the scheme as a risky undertaking that ran into several problems along the way. Shehbaz said joint work by the federal and provincial governments had carried it past those hurdles to reach the 10-million mark.
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 were among those named for their roles in the scheme. The prime minister also thanked provincial chief ministers and their teams for administrative and financial support.
Originally reported by ProPakistani.
Frequently asked questions
Who can claim the Rs2,000 petrol subsidy?
Owners of motorcycles, Qingqi motorcycles, rickshaws and vehicles with engines of up to 800cc who complete the digital registration.
How is the subsidy paid?
Registered citizens receive tokens through the digital system, which they use to buy subsidised petrol. Around 19.4 million tokens have been redeemed so far.
When will Shaza Fatima receive the Tamgha?
The prime minister announced the award on October 9, 2026. It will be formally conferred on March 23.
