Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Friday announced several relief measures amidst the hefty fuel price increase imposed by the federal government, stating the province would provide a flat Rs. 2,000 subsidy for each registered motorcyclist this month.
Addressing a press conference, he said the payments would be transferred directly to verified owners’ bank accounts. To encourage people to register their motorcycles, he said, transfer fees had been waived during this period.
At the same time, he said, car owners would just have to “bear” with the price hike.
Shah also announced support for small farmers, with those owning up to 25 acres to receive Rs. 1,500/acre for one month. He said around 336,000 registered farmers are expected to benefit from this measure.
“This subsidy is aimed at supporting diesel costs for wheat threshing. Since verified data is already available, payments will begin from next week,” he said, adding previous subsidy programs for fertilizers had been implemented successfully without complaints.
As part of the province’s relief package, the chief minister said registered passenger buses would receive Rs. 100,000/vehicle for the next month, while two-axle trucks would receive Rs. 70,000/month, and heavy trucks Rs. 80,000/month. Intra-city buses with higher fuel consumption would also receive additional support, he said, while stressing all these measures would only be available for registered vehicles.
Shah maintained the Sindh government was committed to shielding the most vulnerable segments from economic shocks arising from the Iran war. “Our priority is to provide targeted relief where it is needed most, while maintaining fiscal responsibility. These measures will ensure that the common man is protected during this challenging time,” he claimed.
During his press conference, the chief minister also confirmed his government had opposed a proposed “smart lockdown” as well as proposals to restrict market timings to daylight hours to conserve fuel. “Karachi’s culture thrives during the night and we cannot change that,” he said, claiming this could be considering once the crisis subsides.