Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday launched a special relief scheme providing Rs100 per litre discount on petrol for motorcyclists, rickshaw and chingchi owners and drivers of vehicles up to 800cc, as the government moved to cushion the public from rising fuel prices driven by tensions in the Middle East.

Following the increase announced on Friday, petrol is now being sold at Rs375.82 per litre, while the price of high-speed diesel has risen to Rs403.32 per litre, following hikes of Rs5.02 and Rs5.28 per litre, respectively. Announcing the scheme, the prime minister said the government was fully aware of the burden rising oil prices had placed on the public and that the people would not be left alone in these difficult times.

Under the relief scheme, owners and users of motorcycles, rickshaws and other two and three-wheeled vehicles will receive Rs100 per litre relief on up to 20 litres of petrol per month. Owners of small vehicles up to 800cc engine capacity will receive Rs100 per litre relief on up to 30 litres of petrol per month.

The scheme will come into effect in Islamabad from the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday, while its rollout across the rest of Pakistan including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan will take place from the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday. Registration for the special relief scheme has been launched with immediate effect.