SARDAR SIKANDER SHAHEEN

ISLAMABAD: The federal government, Sunday, announced to have launched the Special Relief Scheme on behalf of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a bid to give relief to the users of small public transport and vehicles up to 800 cubic centimetres in the wake of unprecedented rise in fuel prices.

Under the Special Relief Scheme, a relief of 100 rupees per litre on petrol will be provided to the users of motorcycles, rickshaws, “Chingchis,” and vehicles up to 800 CC, said an official statement on Sunday.

A relief of 100 rupees per litre will be provided on 20 litres of petrol per month for two-wheeled and three-wheeled vehicles, including motorcycles, rickshaws, and Chingchis, the statement added.

“Similarly, owners of small vehicles, i.e. vehicles up to 800 CC, will be provided with a relief of 100 rupees per litre on 30 litres of petrol per month,” according to the statement.

The registration for the Special Relief Scheme started with effect from Sunday, and its procedure will be communicated to the public through an awareness campaign, said the statement.

Its implementation within the limits of Islamabad will take effect on the night falling between Monday and Tuesday, the statement said, adding that the scheme’s implementation in the rest of Pakistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) will take effect on the night falling between Wednesday and Thursday.

It merits mentioning here that fuel prices in Pakistan have seen rapid rise in the recent weeks in the wake of lingering conflict between Iran and the United States - resulting in massive inflation.