No motorcycle transfer fees in Islamabad for one month
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed the Capital Excise Department to waive motorcycle transfer fees in Islamabad for one month, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on X, as part of efforts to allow citizens to fully benefit from the petrol subsidy.
Dear citizens of Islamabad, under the Prime Minister’s public relief and subsidy initiative, transfer fees on motorbikes in Islamabad have been waived for a period of one month.
Mohsin Naqvi stated, "Under the prime minister’s public relief and subsidy initiative, transfer fees on motorbikes in Islamabad have been waived for a period of one month".
According to the Director General of Excise, citizens can now transfer ownership of their motorcycles at the Islamabad Excise Office without paying any fee. Additional counters have been set up to handle the increased workload efficiently.
To further assist the public, the Excise Department office will remain open 24 hours, Irfan Memon, an official at the department, said. The move is part of broader government measures to ensure relief reaches the public in a timely and convenient manner.
On Thursday, the government further increased petrol prices by Rs137 per litre to a record-high of Rs458.4. It was the second major increase in fuel prices in less than a month. However, on Friday night, PM Shehbaz announced a Rs80 per litre reduction in the petroleum levy on petrol.
In response to surging petrol prices and the ongoing energy crisis, the federal government released a framework under which a Rs100 per litre subsidy will be extended to two-wheeler motorcycles, capped at 20 litres per month for three months. Small farmers will receive Rs1,500 per acre as a one-time support during the harvesting season, when diesel consumption peaks.
Read: Sindh launches People's Motorcycle Fuel Subsidy Programme
Freight vehicles will get Rs100 per litre support, alongside fixed monthly assistance of Rs70,000 for trucks, Rs80,000 for large transport vehicles and Rs100,000 for public service buses, initially for one month, subject to review.
Pakistan Railways will also receive support to keep fares affordable for low-income passengers.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said the evolving global energy landscape demanded "careful resource management," adding that the government would review the measures monthly while ensuring stability in essential sectors.
On Friday, Mohsin Naqvi announced on X that all public transport in the capital will also be made free of cost for the next 30 days, on the directives of the prime minister.
According to the minister, the initiative was to take effect from Saturday and is aimed at providing relief to the general public amid rising economic pressures. He added that the Ministry of Interior will bear the cost of the scheme, which is estimated at Rs350 million.