Petrol relief program extended

KARACHI: The Sindh cabinet on Tuesday approved an extension of the petrol relief program to continue supporting motorcyclists across Sindh.

The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah at the CM House, where over Rs30 billion worth of development, welfare, and reform initiatives were also approved.

The meeting focused on key sectors including infrastructure, healthcare, education, governance reforms, and public relief measures.

Under the decision, the People’s Fuel Subsidy Program has been extended until May 31, 2026, to allow processing of pending applications and ensure continued financial assistance to motorcycle owners.

The chief minister directed the finance department to release Rs2 billion for May 2026 to ensure uninterrupted disbursement of funds.

According to officials, the program has so far verified 548,085 applicants and disbursed approximately Rs1.096 billion, with each beneficiary receiving Rs2,000 per CNIC.

Tax Relief for Motorcycle Ride Services

In a separate move, the cabinet approved tax relief for motorcycle-based ride-hailing services to support low-income drivers and reduce ride cancellations.

The Sindh Sales Tax (SST) on net fares earned by motorcycle riders using ride-hailing platforms such as Bykea has been reduced from 5 percent to 2 percent.

Officials said the tax cut is expected to have a financial impact of around Rs120 million annually.