Islamabad: Punjab government has also announced a comprehensive relief package for the people of the province in view of the ongoing global economic crisis. This was announced by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif in Lahore on Friday. She said free public transport services will be provided across all cities of Punjab. Citizens will not be required to purchase tickets while travelling on the Orange Line Train, Metro Bus Service, Speedo Bus and Green Electric Buses.
A subsidy scheme has also been approved for motorcyclists. Under this initiative, every registered motorcycle owner will receive a subsidy of one hundred rupees on twenty litres of fuel. Punjab government has also decided to extend financial support to safeguard agriculture, ensure food security, and assist farmers. A subsidy of 100 rupees per litre of diesel per acre has also been announced for cultivators.
In light of the surge in international oil prices driven by ongoing global crises and conflict, pressure on domestic fuel costs has become unavoidable. To mitigate this impact, Punjab has introduced a targeted monthly subsidy: Rs. 70,000 for registered goods transport vehicles, Rs. 80,000 for large transport vehicles, and Rs. 100,000 for public service buses.
As this relief has been extended to ease your operational burden, transporters across Punjab are urged to act responsibly and refrain from passing the increased costs on to consumers and passengers.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif said 'I will closely monitor and regulate the situation to ensure that the full benefit of this subsidy is passed on to the public. This is a time for collective responsibility, compassion, and unity in the national interest. I have directed all District Administrations to engage with transporters and their associations across Punjab to develop an effective mechanism that ensures the full benefit of the subsidy reaches the general public'.
Meanwhile on the direction of Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, all public transport in Islamabad will be free of charge for the next 30 days, starting from today (Saturday).
Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi announced this in a post on X on Friday. He said the Ministry of Interior will bear the expenditure of 350 million rupees for this public relief initiative.
Meanwhile Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed Pakistan Railways not to increase fares for any class. This was stated in a press release issued by Pakistan Railways on Friday.
It said that no fares will be increased, including those for economy and air-conditioned classes. Similarly, freight train charges will also remain unchanged to facilitate the business community.
On the Prime Minister's directive, the government will bear an additional burden of six billion rupees until June 30 this year. The government has decided to absorb the impact of the recent increase in diesel prices instead of passing it on to passengers.