Pakistan provides financial aid to 9 million low-income people as Iran war drives up prices

Pakistan’s government has provided fuel subsidies to more than 9 million low-income people as the U.S.-Iran war drives up energy prices, officials said Tuesday.Information Technology Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja said the program was designed to ease the burden on millions of people as regional geopolitical tensions drove up global fuel prices.“We have ensured the process remains seamless and agile for citizens,” Khawaja said, describing it as Pakistan’s first nationwide use of technology to deliver targeted fuel subsidies.Rising petrol and diesel prices have added pressure on a cash-strapped nation already grappling with high inflation, pushing up transportation, food and other living costs and raising fears of anti-government protests.The program, approved by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif last month, offers fuel discounts to eligible motorcycle riders, rickshaw operators and owners of small cars, many of whom depend on their vehicles for work and daily travel.The subsidies were announced after Jamaat-e-Islami, Pakistan’s major Islamist political party, threatened to march on Islamabad to pressure the government to cut taxes on petrol and diesel.Fuel prices in Pakistan have risen by more than 50% since the war between the United States and Iran began earlier this year, adding to pressure on households already struggling with the cost of living.Sharif’s government says the subsidies are intended to help low-income motorists buy gasoline at prewar prices.Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik said more than 9 million people are benefiting from the program, in which eligible motorists receive a token by text message and present it at a participating gas station, where staff verify their eligibility before applying the discount.According to the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, the amount and frequency of assistance vary by vehicle type.

Motorcycle and three-wheeler users qualify for a discount of 500 rupees ($1.79) a week, with ...