Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sohail Afridi has announced a subsidy for all registered motorcyclists in the province to reduce the impact of rising petroleum prices.

Speaking at a press conference alongside Special Assistant for Information Shafi Jan and Finance Adviser Muzammil Aslam the chief minister criticized the federal government’s decision to increase petrol prices. He described the hike as a “petrol bomb” on the public and urged the federal authorities to take provinces into confidence before making such decisions.

Afridi stated that the provincial government strongly rejects the increase in petroleum prices and believes the federal government should reduce its own expenditures instead of placing additional financial burden on citizens.

To provide relief, the KP government has decided to grant Rs2,200 to each registered motorcycle owner. According to officials there are currently around 1.4 to 1.6 million registered motorcycles in the province.

The chief minister also announced that fares for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Peshawar will not be increased, with the government covering the additional costs.

Afridi added that the provincial government has imposed restrictions on purchasing new vehicles and international trips to reduce spending and support citizens during the ongoing economic challenges.