ISLAMABAD: Around 31,000 consumers have been denied benefits under Pakistan’s fuel subsidy scheme, prompting the government to order audits of petrol stations and corrective measures to address registration and technical problems.
The issue emerged during a high-level meeting reviewing the implementation of the government’s fuel relief programme, designed to support motorcycle, rickshaw and small-car owners facing rising petrol prices.
Officials informed the meeting that 10,344 fuel tokens had expired. Authorities subsequently contacted approximately 31,000 citizens to determine why they had failed to redeem their tokens. Around 11,000 respondents cited a lack of time, while others reported refusals at petrol stations or technical difficulties.
The meeting directed the Ministry of Information Technology to send follow-up messages to approximately 13,000 consumers who reported refusals or system failures, encouraging them to revisit petrol stations and rebook their fuel tokens.
Meanwhile, the government’s 9771 helpline received around 3,000 calls, of which approximately 400 complaints were resolved at the initial stage. Registration problems, provincial mismatches, incomplete applications and duplicate registration attempts accounted for several complaints.
Authorities also decided to audit petrol stations recording fewer than 50 subsidy redemptions. District administrations will inspect outlets, monitor high-volume stations and provide additional devices where long queues occur.
Officials highlighted misconceptions about vehicle ownership requirements, noting that some applicants mistakenly believed motorcycles had to be registered in their own names.
The government plans to improve public awareness, correct registration errors and strengthen monitoring to ensure eligible citizens receive the promised financial relief.
