Petrol Relief Scheme 2026: Who Qualifies & How to Register via SMS

Who actually qualifies for this relief

Not everyone gets this. The government kept the net narrow — targeting people who rely on small vehicles for daily travel and small business.

The two- and three-wheeler category

If you own a motorcycle, rickshaw, Qingqi, or any other two- or three-wheeler, you qualify for the relief on up to 20 litres per month.

Do the math: 20 litres × Rs100 = Rs2,000 maximum monthly saving. That's not life-changing money, but for a bike owner who fills up Rs500 every few days, it covers a decent chunk of the monthly kharcha.

The small car category

Owners of cars with engines up to 800cc get the relief on up to 30 litres per month. That works out to Rs3,000 maximum monthly relief.

I know what some of you are thinking — who drives an 800cc car in 2026? Actually, plenty of people. Suzuki Mehran still runs on Lahore's roads. The old Suzuki Alto 800 is everywhere in Karachi. These are the people this scheme targets.

Tip: The monthly limit resets each month. If you don't use your full quota one month, it doesn't carry over. So don't try to save it for a road trip.

How to register — the SMS format that actually works

Here's where most people are getting confused. Social media is full of wrong formats and random numbers claiming to be official. The government has a specific process, and if you get one thing wrong, your registration fails.

Step 1: Send the registration SMS

Open your phone's messaging app and type this exactly:

REG [space] CNIC number [space] Vehicle registration number [space] Province code [space] Registration date

Send it to 9771.

Here's the province code list you need:

• I — Islamabad

• P — Punjab

• S — Sindh

• K — Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

• B — Balochistan

• A — Azad Jammu and Kashmir

• G — Gilgit-Baltistan

The registration date goes in DDMMYYYY format. So if your bike was registered on 15th March 2020, you write 15032020.

Example for a Lahore bike registered 15-03-2020 with CNIC 35202-1234567-8 and plate LEB-1234:

REG 3520212345678 LEB1234 P 15032020

Send that to 9771. You'll get a confirmation message if everything checks out.

Warning: Use only a SIM registered in your own name. If the SIM is in your father's or brother's name, the registration will fail because the system checks CNIC against SIM ownership.

Step 2: Get your fuel token before going to the pump

Registration alone doesn't get you petrol at the discounted rate. You need a separate token each time.

Before heading to the petrol pump, type TOK and send it to the same number, 9771.

You'll receive a 10-digit token number. That token stays valid for 10 days. After that, you need to request a new one.

Each token only covers a fixed amount, not your full monthly quota: 5 litres per token (Rs500 off) for bikes, rickshaws and Qingqis, or 10 litres per token (Rs1000 off) for 800cc cars. So a bike owner needs about four separate TOK requests across the month to use the full 20-litre allowance.

Step 3: Show the token at the pump

At the petrol pump, tell the attendant you're using the relief scheme and show the token number. They'll verify it and give you petrol at the discounted rate — Rs275.82 per litre instead of Rs375.82, within your monthly quota.

Watch the pump meter and your bill carefully — confirm the full litres (5 for bikes, 10 for cars) actually went in, and that Rs500 or Rs1000 was deducted, before you pay.

Rs1.25 is deducted from your balance for each SMS to 9771, plus tax. It's a small kharcha for a Rs2,000-3,000 monthly benefit.

What to watch out for — the confusion and the scams

Whenever the government launches a subsidy, two things happen: scammers come out, and the information gets muddled.

I've already seen WhatsApp forwards claiming you can register by sending your CNIC to random numbers. Some are phishing attempts to steal your personal data. Others are just wrong information passed around by well-meaning people who didn't read the official procedure.

Warning: Only 9771 is the official registration number. Don't send your CNIC, vehicle details, or OTP to any other number claiming to register you for petrol relief. NADRA and the IT Ministry will never ask for your OTP or bank details via SMS.

Another thing: don't pay anyone to "register you" for this scheme. I've heard of agents in Rawalpindi and Faisalabad charging Rs500-1,000 to do the SMS registration. You can do it yourself in 30 seconds with Rs1.25 in your balance. There's no shortcut, and there's no fee to register.

Also remember — this relief is only at participating pumps. Not every petrol station might have the system working perfectly in the first week. If one pump says they can't process it, try another. The rollout is happening fast, and pump staff are still learning the system too.

One CNIC, one vehicle — the rule most people miss

Here's something that tripped up a lot of people in the first two days. The IT Minister confirmed that one CNIC can register only one vehicle, and one vehicle can be linked to only one CNIC.

So if you own both a bike and an 800cc car, you have to pick one. You can't claim relief on both. Same goes for a family with two bikes — each bike needs a different CNIC to register.

For cars, the applicant must be the registered owner on paper. The excise and transport department records are checked automatically. For motorcycles, ownership is often informal — many bikes are sold with just a transfer letter and no official name change — so the scheme accommodates that. But the SIM you use to register must always be in your own name.

If you're buying a used bike or small car right now and want to benefit from this scheme, make sure the ownership transfer is properly done. A bike still registered in the old owner's name could cause problems when you try to register for relief. To avoid dealer markups and hidden issues, you can browse used motorcycles on Bechly.pk or check used car listings in your city.

Where this fits for bike and small car owners

If you're a bike owner in Lahore, Karachi, or anywhere else, Rs2,000 monthly relief is real money. That's roughly 5-6 litres of free petrol every month. For a student commuting to university on a CD70, or a small trader running a Qingqi, that's not nothing.

For 800cc car owners, Rs3,000 per month is about 8 litres covered. If you drive a Mehran or old Alto for daily work, this takes some pressure off.

The scheme is also a reminder that small vehicles are the backbone of Pakistani transport. If you're in the market for a used bike or small car, direct sellers usually give you a better deal than the dukaan on Hall Road or Raja Market. And if you're upgrading or selling your current vehicle, post a free ad on Bechly.pk — it takes two minutes and reaches buyers across Pakistan.

Before you meet any stranger to inspect a vehicle, read our safety tips so you don't get caught by advance payment fraud or fake bank transfer screenshots.

Note: More details about the scheme, including the official procedure and any updates, are available at pmfuelrelief.pk. The IT Ministry has set this up as the dedicated reference point — bookmark it before you register.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I register both my bike and my car for the petrol relief scheme?

No. The IT Minister confirmed that one CNIC can register only one vehicle, and one vehicle can be linked to only one CNIC. If you own both, you have to pick one vehicle for the relief.

Do I need a SIM registered in my own name to register for the petrol relief scheme?

Yes. The system checks your CNIC against the SIM ownership record. If the SIM is in someone else's name — even a family member — the registration will fail. You need a SIM registered to your own CNIC.

How long is the fuel token valid after I send TOK to 9771?

The 10-digit token you receive stays valid for 10 days. After that, you need to send TOK again to get a fresh token before going to the petrol pump.

What happens if my bike is still registered in the old owner's name?

For motorcycles, ownership is often informal — many bikes are sold with just a transfer letter. The scheme accommodates this for bikes, but the SIM used must be in your own name. For cars, you must be the registered owner on excise records.

Is the Rs100 petrol relief available at all petrol pumps in Pakistan?

The scheme is designed to work at all petrol pumps once fully rolled out. However, during the first few days, some pumps may not have the system working. If one pump can't process it, try another nearby.

How much fuel does one token cover?

Each token covers a fixed amount, not your full monthly quota: 5 litres (Rs500 off) per token for bikes, rickshaws and Qingqis, or 10 litres (Rs1000 off) per token for 800cc cars. A bike owner needs about four separate TOK requests across the month to use the full 20-litre monthly allowance.