Prime Minister’s Fuel Relief Scheme to launch nationwide Wednesday night

The Prime Minister’s Fuel Relief Scheme is set to be rolled out nationwide at midnight between Wednesday and Thursday, with the government finalising arrangements for its launch across the country, according to a statement issued by the office of deputy prime minister.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a “relief scheme” for owners of motorcycles, rickshaws and vehicles of up to 800cc. Under the scheme, owners of two- and three-wheeled vehicles will receive a subsidy of Rs100 per litre on a monthly quota of 20 litres, while those owning vehicles of up to 800cc will receive the same subsidy on a monthly quota of 30 litres.

The statement said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar chaired a meeting on Tuesday to review the administrative follow-up to the Prime Minister’s Fuel Relief Scheme.

“During the meeting, the deputy prime minister was apprised that the scheme was already operational in Islamabad and would be rolled out across Pakistan at 11:59pm on Sept 16, 2026.”

Dar stressed that the registration process must remain simple and accessible to ensure maximum benefit to the intended beneficiaries, the statement said.

The statement further said that the deputy premier “directed all concerned to ensure effective public outreach and smooth implementation at petrol stations”.

DPM Dar also urged elected representatives to disseminate information about the scheme and facilitate registration.

“He further directed that volunteers from the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme be engaged for public outreach and registration.”

In a separate meeting, chaired by the deputy prime minister, the ninth meeting of the National Steering Committee on Fuel Subsidy was held to review the nationwide rollout of the Prime Minister’s Fuel Relief Scheme.

“Registration is now open nationwide through SMS to 9771. Redemption of fuel tokens will commence at midnight between Wednesday and Thursday,” the statement added.

During the meeting, DPM Dar directed that payments to fuel stations be settled within 24 hours through the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

He also instructed the provinces to complete district-level outreach to ensure the seamless delivery of relief to the intended beneficiaries.

Renewed hostilities in the Middle East, which have resulted in the disruption of major oil supply routes, have caused fuel prices to rise over the past two months.

In addition to the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz due to the US-Iran war, trade via Bab al-Mandab — which has become a vital route for Saudi oil exports in recent months — is also facing a rising threat from Houthi rebels.

As per the latest revision, petrol is retailing at Rs380.24 per litre while high-speed diesel is costing Rs409.42 per litre.

Meanwhile, the government continues to levy Rs114 per litre in taxes and duties on petrol and Rs100 per litre on diesel.