Govt Plans Fuel Subsidy for Motorcyclists, Rickshaw Drivers After Price Hike

The federal government is considering a subsidized fuel scheme for motorcyclists and rickshaw drivers to ease the impact of the recent surge in petroleum prices, officials informed the Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum.

Petroleum Secretary Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh told the committee that the government is working on a relief package targeting small vehicle users, following a similar initiative introduced by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.

The plan comes after a sharp rise in fuel prices linked to regional tensions and disruptions in global energy supply routes.

Officials told the panel that Pakistan currently has adequate fuel reserves, including petrol stocks for about 27 days and diesel for 21 days. Jet fuel reserves are available for around 14 days, crude oil for 11 days and liquefied natural gas (LNG) for about nine days.

The government has also allowed the import of petroleum products below the Euro 5 standard to ensure the continued availability of fuel.

Meanwhile, a separate meeting of the petrol monitoring committee, chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, reviewed national fuel supplies and said Pakistan’s fuel requirements for March have been fully secured, with coverage available until mid April under current import plans. Authorities are working to extend supply coverage further toward the end of April while monitoring stock levels to prevent hoarding.

Lawmakers questioned the recent fuel price hike, but the petroleum secretary said it was introduced to discourage hoarding and did not benefit oil marketing companies. Officials also told the committee that LNG supplies from Qatar have been disrupted since March 2, with future cargoes uncertain and domestic gas supply to the power sector already reduced, raising the possibility of costly spot LNG purchases.