Over 10 million benefit from fuel subsidy, PM says

Summary

• Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has praised the federal and provincial governments and relevant institutions for implementing the fuel subsidy programme, which has registered more than 10.8 million citizens.
• Separately, Shehbaz Sharif has directed commercial banks and relevant institutions to accelerate loan disbursements under housing, small business and agricultural financing programmes.
• Chairing a meeting with the heads of leading commercial banks, the prime minister was informed that housing loans worth Rs426 billion had been approved under the Apna Ghar Programme.

AI Generated Summary

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has praised the federal and provincial governments and relevant institutions for implementing the fuel subsidy programme, which has registered more than 10.8 million citizens. He said the initiative would continue, with Rs75 billion allocated to support eligible people facing fuel costs.

Speaking at a gathering held to recognise the efforts of ministers and officials, the prime minister said the scheme had encountered challenges during its planning and implementation stages. However, coordination among government departments and provincial administrations had helped expand its reach.

According to figures shared at the event, around 27 million fuel subsidy tokens have been issued, of which approximately 19.4 million have been redeemed to purchase fuel at subsidised rates. Nearly 9.2 million citizens have used the tokens more than once.