KARACHI: Petroleum dealers have refused to sell petrol under the Pakistani government’s newly launched relief scheme offering a 100-rupee-per-liter discount to motorcyclists, rickshaw owners and drivers of vehicles up to 800cc, citing concerns over its implementation and financial burden.
Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association Vice Chairman Anwar Kamal said dealers were not consulted while the scheme was being prepared, making the current mechanism difficult to implement.
“We have reservations about the mechanism of the relief scheme,” he said, adding that relief should be provided to consumers directly through a simple and straightforward process.
Kamal said dealers’ capital was already strained by inflation, while billions of rupees owed by oil marketing companies remained pending.
“Putting the financial burden of the relief scheme on dealers is not workable,” he said. The association also demanded an increase in dealers’ margins.
Kamal questioned how the government would reimburse dealers for the cheaper petrol, saying they had been contacting officials for the past three days without response. He reiterated that dealers would not sell petrol under the scheme in its “current form.”
The federal government launched the special relief scheme on Sept. 13, providing a 100-rupee-per-liter discount on petrol for motorcyclists, rickshaw owners and drivers of vehicles up to 800cc, as it sought to cushion the public from rising fuel prices driven by tensions in the Middle East.
Announcing the scheme, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the government was fully aware of the burden rising oil prices had placed on the public and that people would not be left alone in difficult times.
“We are launching a special scheme to reduce the burden of rising fuel prices on those using motorcycles, rickshaws, Chingchis and small vehicles,” he said.
Under the scheme, owners and users of motorcycles, rickshaws and other two- and three-wheeled vehicles will receive the 100-rupee-per-liter relief on up to 20 liters of petrol per month. Owners of small vehicles with engine capacities up to 800cc will receive the same relief on up to 30 liters per month.
A day earlier, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar chaired a meeting to review administrative arrangements for the Prime Minister’s Fuel Relief Scheme, directing authorities to ensure simple registration and smooth implementation.
Dar stressed that the registration process must remain simple and accessible so that maximum benefits could reach intended beneficiaries. He directed relevant authorities to intensify public outreach and ensure the scheme runs smoothly at petrol stations.
He urged elected representatives to disseminate information about the scheme and help citizens register, and directed that volunteers from the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme be engaged to assist with public awareness and registration.
The meeting was informed that the Fuel Relief Scheme was already operational in Islamabad and would be rolled out across the country at 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 16, 2026.
