PRIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday reviewed progress on the Prime Minister’s Fuel Relief Programme and directed authorities to cancel the licenses of petrol pumps that do not provide subsidized fuel to registered beneficiaries. Chairing a high level meeting, he said that simplification of the registration and subsidy disbursement procedures had led to an increase in registrations, enabling more deserving citizens to benefit from the initiative. He described the technology-based and transparent subsidy scheme as a potential game changer for future public welfare initiatives.
The directive of the Prime Minister comes in the backdrop of reports that thousands of registered consumers (including around 31,000 affected in earlier audit reports) were denied their entitled discount at petrol stations due to refusal of service, technical hurdles or non-compliance by pump operators. Out of over 63.1 million fuel tokens issued to eligible citizens (motorcycles, rickshaws and vehicles up to 800cc receiving a Rs100-per-litre discount), millions remained unredeemed or faced pushback at the forecourt. At a time when fuel prices are skyrocketing, the fuel subsidy scheme, though limited in nature, offers significant relief to beneficiaries. There is absolutely no justification for petrol pumps to indulge in practices that amount to denial of a legitimate benefit to people. It is, however, regrettable that vested interests always come into play to create obstacles in the smooth implementation of schemes aimed at welfare of the people. In a related development, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) deputy chief Liaqat Baloch said on Thursday that negotiations with the government on the petroleum levy had reached their final stage, adding that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif bore the responsibility for making the talks successful. He pointed out that all rounds of negotiations, as well as the meeting between the PM and JI chief, had established an understanding that the government would provide relief to consumers and gradually abolish what he described as an unjust tax. His statement indicates the party has stepped back from its original demand for immediate and complete withdrawal of the levy and is content with phased reduction of its rate and that too from the next budget, a process that might span over years.
