ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday urged provinces to release their funds for the fuel subsidies to facilitate motorcyslists, and public and goods transport amid the unprecedented energy crisis in the country.

The federal government on Thursday announced the targeted relief measures to provide subsidised fuel, ending the blanket subsidy for all economic classes. The provinces are taking the lead in administering subsidised fuel quotas.

Altogether, the provinces are pooling around Rs200bn for three months on the pattern of their National Finance Commission (NFC) shares – Rs100bn or so from Punjab, Rs51-52bn from Sindh, Rs15bn from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and about Rs8-9bn from Balochistan.

Presiding over a meeting to review austerity measures, the PM Shehbaz lauded Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti for disbursing the provincial share in the PM’s austerity package.

A press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), quoted the prime minister as saying: “Balochistan’s government has already paid the decided share in the package, which is commendable.

“I hope that other provinces will also pay their share soon,” he said.

The prime minister said the government has started the disbursement of subsidies to the owners of motorcycles, trucks and public buses transparently and securely through digital wallets.

It said that that the government had initially decided to start the disbursement from Monday, but the process was initiated on Saturday.

It was informed that all provinces had provided details to the centre regarding the number of public transport buses, goods transport and trucks.

PM Shehbaz said the government was taking, and would continue to take, all possible measures to provide relief to the public during these challenging times.

He reviewed progress on the implementation of government subsidies on petroleum products amid recent regional tensions. The meeting was briefed on the progress of subsidy provision, as well as on the country’s fuel reserves and consumption.

The premier said passenger buses were being provided a monthly subsidy of Rs100,000, while minibuses and wagons were receiving Rs40,000 per month to prevent an increase in fares.

To control the rise in prices of essential food items, trucks were being given Rs70,000, large freight vehicles were being given Rs80,000, and delivery vans were being given Rs35,000 per month as a subsidy, he added.

The prime minister said a public relief package worth Rs129 billion had been provided over the past three weeks, adding that the government would not abandon the public in this difficult time.

He further stated that immediate relief was provided by reducing the petroleum levy by Rs80 per litre.

He said that Pakistan Railways was providing a subsidy of Rs6 billion, due to which there was no increase in the fares of passenger and freight trains. He said the quarterly 25 per cent increase in toll tax had also been withdrawn.

The meeting was informed that sufficient fuel reserves were available in the country to meet national requirements.

A report was also presented by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) on the implementation of the government’s austerity measures.