ISLAMABAD: The government has reviewed progress on payments under the Prime Minister’s Fuel Relief Scheme and taken measures to ensure uninterrupted supplies of petroleum products across the country.
Federal Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik chaired a meeting where officials discussed fuel payments, transportation arrangements, supply chains and contingency plans in case of road closures or law and order disruptions.
Malik directed all relevant departments and oil companies to make advance arrangements to prevent shortages. He also appreciated petroleum dealers for supporting the implementation of the relief programme.
Pakistan Railways assured the meeting that additional train capacity would be made available to transport high-speed diesel, particularly to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa if road transportation is disrupted.
Pakistan State Oil officials said additional fuel stocks had already been positioned at key depots in anticipation of possible supply disruptions. The minister directed PSO to maintain adequate stocks at its facilities.
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority has also established a dedicated control room to coordinate responses during emergencies and monitor the availability of petroleum products at retail outlets.
The meeting was further told that arrangements were being made to ensure uninterrupted supplies of crude oil and petroleum products to Attock Refinery and prevent any shutdown caused by transportation or logistical problems.
Officials said payments had been made to more than 8,500 petrol stations out of over 10,000 filling stations across the country. The number of completed payments was increasing daily.
Malik directed officials to resolve minor problems, including account-number mismatches, without delay. He also instructed Ogra to take action against petrol stations that refuse to provide relief to customers who meet the scheme’s eligibility requirements.
Separately, the National Steering Committee on Fuel Subsidy reviewed the implementation of the relief programme under the chairmanship of Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Cheema.
The committee was informed that more than five million people had registered for the scheme, while around 3.7 million fuel tokens had already been redeemed at petrol stations nationwide.
Punjab recorded around 400,000 registrations on Wednesday following an intensified public awareness campaign.
The State Bank of Pakistan reported that petrol stations had submitted 43,036 claims, of which 41,744 had been settled. The payments amounted to Rs1.35 billion, representing a settlement rate of 97%.
The government also addressed registration difficulties faced by three-wheeler and loader rickshaw operators. The Punjab Excise Department was directed to work directly with rickshaw associations, identify registration barriers and establish a dedicated registration facility.
A separate complaint mechanism will also be introduced at provincial excise offices to resolve vehicle registration issues on an individual basis.
Officials said an automated complaint system was already operating. Complaints are being forwarded to deputy commissioners for field enforcement, the Excise Department for vehicle data issues, Ogra for petrol station-related matters and the Pakistan Digital Authority for technical problems.
The committee also decided to establish a working group headed by the Ogra chairman. Representatives of the Department of Explosives and Pakistan Digital Authority will be included to improve coordination and reconcile petrol station records.
The petroleum minister stressed that close coordination among government departments, oil companies, dealers and regulatory authorities was essential for maintaining fuel supplies and ensuring smooth delivery of relief to eligible consumers.
