The government may continue Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Sasta Petrol scheme for another 10 months and could allocate Rs. 400 billion to Rs. 500 billion from its own resources if the program is extended, Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervez Malik said Sunday.
Speaking at a ceremony in Lahore, Malik said the government would continue providing fuel relief despite difficult economic conditions and could reduce its own expenditures to finance the scheme if necessary.
He said the scheme had reduced the effective petrol cost by up to Rs. 100 per liter for motorcyclists and owners of small vehicles. More than six million eligible people have registered their motorcycles and vehicles under the program, according to the minister.
Malik said nearly six million of the beneficiaries owned motorcycles that were up to 20 years old, indicating that the scheme was largely reaching lower-income riders.
The minister said the government would not repeat the fuel subsidy approach adopted by the previous government in 2022. Instead, if the current relief program needs to continue, the government would cut its own budgetary spending to cover the cost.
On the political situation, Malik warned opposition groups against attempting to march on Islamabad, saying the state would not be intimidated by such moves.
