Govt Activates 9771 Digital Fuel Relief System as Subsidized Petrol Begins in Islamabad

The federal government has formally launched the Prime Minister’s Fuel Relief Scheme in Islamabad, with eligible citizens now accessing subsidized petrol through a digitally verified 9771 SMS-based registration and token system.

The scheme combines telecom infrastructure with government identity and vehicle databases, allowing users to register, verify eligibility, and generate fuel tokens without submitting physical documents at government offices.

Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja visited several petrol pumps in Islamabad late at night to review the rollout and assess problems being faced by citizens during registration and token generation. She was accompanied by the Secretary IT and senior officials from the Islamabad administration.

During the visits, the minister interacted with motorists and instructed officials to ensure uninterrupted access to the subsidy for all eligible users.

9771 System Handles Registration and Fuel Tokens

The digital process requires citizens to first complete their registration through 9771 using a SIM registered in their own name.

PhoneWorld also tested the registration flow and received a successful confirmation message from 9771. The response confirmed the registered vehicle category and monthly fuel quota while instructing the user to send “TOK” before purchasing subsidized petrol.

In the tested case, the system identified the vehicle as a car and confirmed a monthly fuel quota of 30 litres.

The minister emphasized that registration only needs to be completed once. Eligible citizens should not repeatedly submit registration requests after receiving confirmation.

Before visiting a participating petrol pump, users must send TOK to 9771 to generate a fuel token. That token is then presented at the pump for verification before discounted petrol is dispensed.

The system represents a broader use of Pakistan’s digital identity and telecom infrastructure for targeted government subsidies, linking mobile SIM verification with citizen and vehicle records.

Govt Orders Monitoring of Petrol Pumps

Authorities have also been directed to closely monitor participating petrol pumps and ensure that registered citizens are not denied relief or subjected to unnecessary delays.

Officials were instructed to take action against petrol stations that refuse subsidized fuel to eligible consumers or create hurdles despite valid registration and token verification.

With Islamabad serving as the initial rollout location, the performance of the 9771 registration and token system will be closely watched as the scheme expands further.