Eligibility Criteria: Who Qualifies for Fuel Relief in Pakistan?

Important: This page covers eligibility for two separate fuel-related programmes. The PM Fuel Relief Scheme 2026 is a federal programme. The Maryam Ko Batayn (MKB) Programme is a Punjab provincial programme. Eligibility for one does not automatically mean eligibility for the other.

PM Fuel Relief Scheme 2026 — Federal Eligibility

The PM Fuel Relief Scheme 2026 was announced on 13 September 2026 by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. It provides a discount of Rs. 100/litre on petrol for registered vehicle owners across Pakistan, including Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Who is eligible?

Motorcycles & Rickshaws (2–3 wheelers)

  • Motorcycles of any engine size
  • Auto-rickshaws
  • Motorcycle-rickshaws (Qingqi / Chingchi)
  • All other two- and three-wheelers
Up to 20 Lper month@ Rs. 100/litre off

Cars up to 800cc

  • Passenger vehicles with engine capacity up to 800cc
  • Vehicle must be registered in your own name
Up to 30 Lper month@ Rs. 100/litre off

Federal eligibility requirements — what you need

  1. A registered vehicle in one of the eligible categories above.
  2. A SIM card registered in your own name under the same CNIC as the vehicle registration. You must use this SIM to send the registration SMS.
  3. A valid CNIC (13 digits) matching the vehicle and SIM registration.
  4. Your vehicle's registration date in DDMMYYYY format (e.g. 2 September 2026 → 02092026).
  5. Your province code — the first letter of your province. Only Sindh = S is confirmed in public reporting. For other provinces, confirm the correct letter from official channels before sending the SMS, as a wrong code causes a failed registration.
Province code caution: The registration SMS requires the first letter of your province. Only Sindh = S is confirmed by name in official reporting. If you are not in Sindh, verify the correct letter from the official SMS channel or a Ministry of IT & Telecom publication before sending — a wrong code means a failed registration.

Who is NOT eligible for the federal scheme?

  • Vehicles above 800cc engine capacity (except 2/3-wheelers)
  • Commercial trucks and heavy vehicles
  • Vehicle owners whose SIM is registered under a different CNIC
  • Diesel vehicles — the scheme applies to petrol only
Registration is free. There is no application fee, processing charge, or registration cost. Each SMS costs Rs. 1.25 plus tax. If anyone asks you to pay to register, it is a scam. The government has explicitly stated it will not ask beneficiaries for additional data or any registration charges.

How to register → Apply Online guide

Maryam Ko Batayn (MKB) Programme — Punjab Eligibility

The Maryam Ko Batayn (MKB) programme is a Punjab provincial welfare initiative under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. It is administered through themkb.punjab.gov.pk portal and is entirely separate from the federal PM Fuel Relief Scheme.

Separate scheme notice: The MKB programme is not a petrol subsidy in the same sense as the federal scheme. Its primary benefit structure focuses on broader financial assistance for low-income families in Punjab. It is managed by the Government of Punjab, not the Government of Pakistan.

General Punjab MKB eligibility criteria

  • Resident of Punjab province
  • Low household income (income threshold set by Punjab government)
  • Registered or registrable in the Punjab Socio-Economic Registry (PSER)
  • Valid CNIC issued in the applicant's name
  • Mobile SIM registered under the same CNIC
  • Not already receiving a duplicate benefit from the same scheme
Official source required: The Punjab MKB programme's eligibility criteria can change by provincial notification. Always verify current requirements from the officialmkb.punjab.gov.pkportal before applying.

How to apply for the MKB programme

The official registration and application channel is themkb.punjab.gov.pkportal. You can also call the Punjab CM MKB Helpline 1000 for assistance with the Punjab programme. (Note: Helpline 1000 is a Punjab-only service and is not connected to the federal PM Fuel Relief Scheme.)

→ See the full Apply Online guide for step-by-step instructions

Side-by-Side: Federal vs Punjab Scheme

Comparison of federal PM Fuel Relief Scheme and Punjab MKB Programme
FeaturePM Fuel Relief Scheme 2026 (Federal)MKB Programme (Punjab)
Announced byPrime Minister Shehbaz SharifChief Minister Maryam Nawaz
Applicable areaAll of Pakistan (including AJK, GB)Punjab province only
Benefit typeRs. 100/litre petrol discountFinancial assistance (various programmes)
How to registerSMS to 9771mkb.punjab.gov.pk portal
Vehicles coveredMotorcycles/rickshaws + cars up to 800ccNot vehicle-specific
Application feeFree (SMS costs Rs. 1.25 + tax)Free

Frequently Asked Questions

Are motorcycles eligible for the PM Fuel Relief Scheme 2026?

Yes. Motorcycles, auto-rickshaws, motorcycle-rickshaws (Qingqi/Chingchi), and all other two- and three-wheelers are eligible for the PM Fuel Relief Scheme 2026. Eligible owners receive up to 20 litres of subsidised petrol per month at Rs. 100/litre discount. Register by sending REG to 9771.

Are cars eligible for the PM Fuel Relief Scheme?

Cars with engine capacity up to 800cc are eligible. Eligible car owners receive up to 30 litres of subsidised petrol per month at Rs. 100/litre discount.

Is the PM Fuel Relief Scheme the same as the Punjab Maryam Ko Batayn programme?

No. These are two separate schemes. The PM Fuel Relief Scheme 2026 is a federal programme announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The Maryam Ko Batayn (MKB) programme is a Punjab provincial initiative under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. They have different eligibility criteria, different registration processes, and different benefit structures.

Does my SIM card need to be registered in my own name?

Yes. For the PM Fuel Relief Scheme, you must send the registration SMS from a SIM that is registered under your own CNIC — the same CNIC you include in the SMS.

Who is eligible for the Maryam Ko Batayn (MKB) programme?

The MKB programme targets low-income families in Punjab. Eligibility is based on income, family size, and registration in the Punjab government's PSER (Punjab Socio-Economic Registry) database. Visit the official mkb.punjab.gov.pk portal for current eligibility criteria.

Maryam Ko Batayn is an independent informational website.mkb.org.pk is an independent, unofficial information site. It is not affiliated with the Government of Pakistan, the Government of Punjab, or the official mkb.punjab.gov.pk portal.Editorial content is researched and fact-checked by the editorial team and is not produced or reviewed by any government department.

Sources

  1. Associated Press of Pakistan (APP)Official State Source

    State news agency of Pakistan. Primary carrier of the PM's 13 September 2026 fuel relief announcement. Confirmed 20 L / 30 L monthly quotas, Rs. 100/L discount, and rollout dates.

    Retrieved: 15 September 2026
  2. DawnReputable News Source

    Pakistan's leading English-language daily. Independently corroborated the scheme announcement, monthly quotas (20 L two-wheelers / 30 L cars up to 800cc), and SMS registration via 9771.

    Retrieved: 15 September 2026
  3. Ministry of IT and Telecom, Government of Pakistan (@MoitOfficial)Official Government Source

    Published a step-by-step registration video on 14 September 2026 confirming 9771 as the official SMS registration channel and the REG/TOK format.

    Retrieved: 15 September 2026
  4. mkb.org.pk original siteInternal Editorial Note

    Original published content from mkb.org.pk as scraped on 2026-09-15. Used as the primary migration source for pages with contentStatus=migrate or migrate-expand. Content has been reviewed, corrected for factual accuracy, and rewritten where required.

    Retrieved: 15 September 2026