Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced a national honour for Federal Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja in recognition of her role in developing and implementing the government’s digital petrol subsidy scheme. The award will be presented on March 23, Pakistan Day, according to reports.
The announcement came during a meeting in Islamabad where the prime minister reviewed the scheme and praised the efforts of federal and provincial authorities. He also announced shields for officials and teams involved in running the programme.
The government launched the scheme to provide financial relief to people affected by rising fuel prices. It offers support to eligible motorcyclists, rickshaw users and owners of vehicles with engine capacities of up to 800cc. The programme uses digital tokens to help beneficiaries purchase petrol at reduced rates.
According to official figures shared by the prime minister on October 9, more than 10 million people had benefited from the scheme. The government allocated Rs75 billion for the initiative, which relies on cooperation between federal and provincial departments.
The prime minister said the programme would continue to support eligible citizens. He also acknowledged the contribution of other ministers and officials involved in its implementation.
