Pakistan’s federal government has launched the Prime Minister’s Fuel Relief Scheme in Islamabad, using 9771 SMS verification to provide subsidized petrol to eligible citizens.
The federal government has formally launched the Prime Minister’s Fuel Relief Scheme in Islamabad, allowing eligible citizens to access subsidized petrol through a digitally verified registration and fuel-token system using the 9771 SMS service.
The system enables citizens to register and verify their eligibility without visiting government offices or submitting physical documents. It connects telecom-based SIM verification with government identity and vehicle databases to determine eligibility and fuel quotas.
Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja visited several petrol pumps in Islamabad late at night to review the scheme’s rollout and assess difficulties being faced by motorists during registration and token generation. She was accompanied by the Secretary IT and senior officials from the Islamabad administration.
During the visits, Khawaja interacted with motorists and directed officials to ensure eligible citizens receive uninterrupted access to the subsidy. Authorities were also instructed to address problems encountered during the digital verification process.
How the 9771 Fuel Token System Works
Citizens must first register through 9771 using a SIM registered in their own name. A successful confirmation message was received from 9771.
The confirmation message identified the registered vehicle category, specified the monthly fuel quota and instructed the user to send “TOK” to 9771 before purchasing subsidized petrol.
In the tested case, the system identified the vehicle as a car and confirmed a monthly quota of 30 litres.
The government has emphasized that registration needs to be completed only once. Eligible citizens who receive confirmation should not repeatedly submit registration requests.
Before visiting a participating petrol station, users must send “TOK” to 9771 to generate a fuel token. The token is then presented at the petrol pump, where it is verified before subsidized petrol is provided.
The initiative marks a wider use of digital identity and telecommunications infrastructure for targeted government relief, with mobile SIM verification being linked to citizen and vehicle records.
Govt Orders Monitoring of Participating Petrol Pumps
Authorities have directed officials to closely monitor participating petrol stations and ensure eligible, registered consumers are not denied the subsidy or subjected to unnecessary delays.
Officials have also been instructed to take action against petrol stations that refuse subsidized fuel to eligible consumers or create hurdles despite valid registration and token verification.
Islamabad is currently serving as the initial rollout location for the system. Its performance and the effectiveness of the 9771 registration and token mechanism are expected to remain under close observation as the government considers further expansion of the scheme.
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