The federal government has introduced a two-step digital registration process for citizens seeking Rs 100 per litre petrol relief under its targeted fuel assistance scheme for motorcycles, rickshaws, Qingqi/Chingchi vehicles and cars with engine capacities of up to 800cc.
Federal Minister for IT and Telecom Shaza Fatima announced the registration procedure at a press conference in Islamabad alongside Ministers Atta Tarar and Ali Pervaiz Malik. She said eligible owners of two and three-wheelers will receive the relief on up to 20 litres of petrol each month, while owners of vehicles up to 800cc can get the subsidy on up to 30 litres.
Under the first step, eligible citizens must register through the mobile number linked to their CNIC. They are required to send an SMS in the following format to 9771:
REG [CNIC number] [province code] [vehicle registration date]
Applicants must enter the appropriate first-letter province code along with their CNIC number and vehicle registration details.
Once the registration is completed successfully, applicants can request a fuel subsidy token by sending TOK to 9771. The token received by SMS must be presented at a participating petrol station to receive the Rs. 100 per litre relief.
The government has advised citizens not to share their CNIC numbers or other personal information with anyone. Shaza Fatima said beneficiaries will not be asked to provide additional information or pay any registration charges. Officials will also work to resolve technical and procedural issues during the rollout.
The subsidy is limited to Rs2,000 per month for two and three-wheelers and Rs3,000 for vehicles with engines of up to 800cc. According to the Petroleum Division, around 11.8 million people could benefit from the programme. This includes about 10 million two-wheeler users, 800,000 three-wheeler users and one million owners of small cars.
The fuel relief has been introduced as petrol prices have risen sharply in recent weeks. Under the latest government revision, petrol is priced at Rs375.82 per litre after an increase of Rs5.02 per litre. The price of high-speed diesel has reached Rs403.32 per litre.
The government has targeted the subsidy towards smaller vehicle owners and public transport users. Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik said the Petroleum Division estimates the programme will cost around Rs25 billion to Rs30 billion per month.
The scheme will initially be implemented in Islamabad from midnight between September 14 and 15. Beneficiaries in other parts of Pakistan, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, will be able to use the relief from midnight between September 16 and 17.