Petroleum dealers on Wednesday refused to sell petrol under the government’s newly launched Rs100-per-litre relief scheme for motorcyclists, rickshaw owners and drivers of vehicles up to 800cc, citing concerns over its implementation mechanism and financial burden.
Addressing a press conference in Karachi, Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) Vice Chairman Anwar Kamal said the dealers were not consulted while preparing the scheme, making the current mechanism difficult to implement.
“We have reservations about the mechanism of the relief scheme,” he added. Kamal said that relief should be provided to consumers directly through an easy and straightforward mechanism.
Kamal said dealers’ capital was already affected by inflation, while billions of rupees owed by oil marketing companies were 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.
“How will the government pay dealers the amount for cheaper petrol?” Kamal questioned, adding that dealers had been contacting the government for the past three days but had received no response.
Kamal reiterated that dealers would not sell petrol under the government’s relief scheme in its “current form”.
The federal government on September 13 launched a special relief scheme providing Rs100 per litre discount on petrol for motorcyclists, rickshaw owners and drivers of vehicles up to 800cc, as the government moved to cushion the public from rising fuel prices driven by tensions in the Middle East.
Announcing the scheme, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had said the government was fully aware of the burden rising oil prices had placed on the public and that the people would not be left alone in these 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 had said.
Under the relief scheme, owners and users of motorcycles, rickshaws and other two- and three-wheeled vehicles will receive Rs100 per litre relief on up to 20 litres of petrol per month. Owners of small vehicles up to 800cc engine capacity will receive Rs100 per litre relief on up to 30 litres of petrol per month.
DPM directs simple, accessible registration process
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.
During the meeting, Dar stressed that the registration process must remain simple and accessible so that maximum benefits could reach the intended beneficiaries. He directed the relevant authorities to intensify public outreach and ensure the smooth implementation of the scheme at petrol stations.
DPM Dar urged elected representatives to disseminate information about the scheme and facilitate citizens in the registration process. He also directed that volunteers of 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 11:59pm on September 16, 2026.
