Govt to charge the rich Rs100 more for fuel to finance subsidy for the poor: Petroleum Minister.

ISLAMABAD -- Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Masood Malik said on Monday that the government will charge Rs100 more for petrol from the affluent so that relief could be provided to the low-income segments in fuel tariff.

'We will make petrol expensive for the rich and cheaper for the poor ... the higher prices being paid by the rich will be used to provide subsidised petrol to the low-income segment,' he said in a press conference today.

Malik's statement comes a day after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a relief package for the poor under which a subsidy of Rs50 will be given to them on every litre of petrol.

After presiding over a review meeting on the relief package, the premier had said that the relief would be given to those low-income consumers who have motorcycles, rickshaws, 800cc cars or other small cars.

Elaborating on the subsidy today, Malik said PM Shehbaz had ordered the ministry to increase the subsidy to Rs100. 'The rich will be charged Rs100 more and the poor will be charged Rs100 less.'

He revealed that the petroleum subsidy programme would be implemented within the next six weeks without any provision of subsidies.

The financing for the scheme, the minister...