Sindh starts motorcycle fuel subsidy programme for registered owners

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Monday launched the People’s Motorcycle Fuel Subsidy Programme and demonstrated the registration procedure under which registered motorcycle owners will receive a subsidy of Rs57 per 20 litres of fuel.

According to the details shared at the launch, the provincial government will bear an additional Rs100 per litre. The programme follows the Sindh government’s announcement on Friday of a monthly subsidy of Rs2,000 for registered motorcyclists across the province in view of rising petrol prices and the continuing energy crisis.

Public transport and goods transport operators will also be given monthly subsidies ranging from Rs70,000 to Rs100,000.

During the demonstration for journalists, Murad said the scheme had formally begun. "I am registering the first motorcycle to show the process," he added.

The chief minister also said the Rs500 transfer fee had been removed. To become eligible for the subsidy, applicants must be residents whose motorcycles are registered in their own names. Applications can be filed through the Excise Department’s online portal, while a mobile application is expected to become operational within three days.

A video guide explaining the registration process has also been placed on the Excise Department’s website. Excise offices throughout Sindh will stay open until midnight, including on weekends, to make the process easier for applicants.

Subsidy amounts will be deposited directly into applicants’ bank accounts, and IBAN details will have to be provided at the time of registration. Explaining the process, the chief minister said that once all required information is submitted, a message and a tracking ID number will be received so applicants can follow the status of their subsidy.

He further added that emails will be sent to Sindh Bank every three hours for payment processing and cautioned that payments will be halted if accurate information is not provided.

Murad said verification would include checking whether the bank account matches the registered motorcycle owner. Accounts maintained with Sindh Bank will be verified within 24 hours, while verification and payment for accounts in other banks may take up to three days.

A dedicated toll-free helpline has also been set up to help applicants and support accuracy in the registration process.

The programme has been introduced after a sharp increase in fuel prices. On Thursday, petrol prices were raised by Rs137 per litre to a record Rs458.4, the second major increase in less than a month. In response, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Friday night a reduction of Rs80 per litre in the petroleum levy on petrol.

According to the figures cited at the launch, the cumulative increase in petrol prices over one month has reached 63%, while high-speed diesel prices have gone up by 75%.

The chief minister said the initiative was intended to provide financial relief to motorcycle owners facing higher fuel costs while maintaining transparency and efficient distribution of subsidy payments.