ISLAMABAD, 02 November 2026 (Ghufran): Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has said that more than 15 million people have benefited from the Prime Minister’s Fuel Relief Scheme, with Rs27 billion disbursed so far. Addressing a press conference alongside Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, he said the government, on the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, had prevented a Rs15 per litre increase in petrol prices by shifting the additional burden to oil refineries, which would bear an estimated Rs15 billion monthly cost. Tarar said subsidised petrol was being provided to motorcycles, Qingqi rickshaws and vehicles with engine capacities of up to 800cc. He credited the successful implementation of the scheme to coordinated efforts by relevant government institutions, including the Ministries of Petroleum and IT, OGRA and the State Bank of Pakistan. He said there was no shortage of essential commodities in the country and urged the public to avoid rumours and unverified reports. Commenting on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the minister criticised the PTI government over what he described as a lack of development projects and public welfare initiatives. He also highlighted the incumbent government’s economic and tax reforms, saying technology-based monitoring had helped collect an additional Rs60 billion from the sugar industry alone. Tarar maintained that the government was taking steps to stabilise the economy and promote sustainable development, stressing that national interests must remain above political considerations.