Summary Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered free SMS registration for the fuel subsidy scheme covering motorcycles, rickshaws and eligible cars nationwide from September 17.
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed that SMS registration for the government’s fuel subsidy scheme be made completely free of charge, providing additional facilitation to eligible low- and middle-income citizens.
According to an official statement reported by state-run Radio Pakistan on Thursday, the registration message required to access the petrol subsidy will no longer carry an SMS charge.
The relief scheme covers owners of motorcycles, rickshaws and vehicles with engine capacities of up to 800cc. The programme is being implemented across Pakistan, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
The nationwide rollout followed an initial implementation in Islamabad. Registration is open across the country through the designated short code 9771, while nationwide redemption of fuel-relief tokens was scheduled to begin from midnight between September 16 and 17.
How to register
According to the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, an applicant can register by sending an SMS to 9771 in the prescribed format:
REG [space] CNIC [space] Vehicle Number [space] first letter of province [space] vehicle registration date
The ministry said registration is a one-time process. Before going to a filling station, a registered beneficiary is required to send TOK to 9771 to generate a fuel-relief token.
Under the scheme, eligible motorcycles and three-wheelers can receive up to 20 litres per month, issued through five-litre tokens. Cars of up to 800cc can receive up to 30 litres per month, through 10-litre tokens. The government has announced relief of Rs100 per litre, equivalent to Rs500 per token for eligible two- and three-wheelers and Rs1,000 per token for qualifying cars.
The government says the cost of the scheme is being borne by the federal government. Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik earlier said around Rs25 billion per month would be provided for the fuel relief programme.
Prime Minister Shehbaz has also directed the authorities to facilitate citizens during registration and undertake an awareness campaign so eligible people can understand the procedure.
The government has said applicants need to provide four basic pieces of information — their CNIC number, vehicle number plate, province of registration and vehicle registration date.
