KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has announced an extension of targeted relief for low-income commuters, keeping a key petrol subsidy in place for motorcycle owners as fuel prices continue to strain household budgets, ARY News reported.
The decision comes as the existing subsidy scheme was due to expire today. Instead of letting it lapse, the provincial government has opted to continue the initiative, allowing thousands of motorcycle users across the province to keep benefiting from reduced petrol costs.
Officials say the subsidy, set at Rs2,000 per motorcycle, was introduced in response to the steady rise in petrol prices, which has disproportionately affected daily wage earners and lower-income workers who rely heavily on motorcycles for commuting.
By extending the scheme, the government appears to be trying to soften the immediate impact of fuel inflation, at least for now.
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Speaking on the development, Murad Ali Shah indicated that the continuation of the petrol subsidy is part of a broader effort to support vulnerable segments of society.
He suggested that as long as petrol prices remain high, targeted interventions like this would be necessary to prevent further financial pressure on ordinary citizens.
The move is likely to provide short-term relief, particularly in urban centres where motorcycles are a primary mode of transport. However, questions remain over how long such petrol subsidies can be sustained, given the broader fiscal challenges facing provincial governments.
For now, though, the extension offers a measure of stability for commuters already grappling with rising living costs, with petrol once again at the center of the government’s relief strategy.