Peshawar: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Suhail Afridi has announced a subsidy of Rs 2,200 for all registered motorcycle riders in the province to ease the burden of rising petrol prices.

Addressing a press conference alongside Special Assistant on Information Shafee Jan and Finance Advisor Mazmal Aslam, Afridi criticized the federal government for imposing what he called a “petrol bomb” of Rs 55 per liter on the public. He urged the center to reduce extravagant spending instead of passing the burden onto citizens.

Afridi highlighted that during past crises, including COVID-19 fuel price hikes, floods in Punjab, and the Karachi Gul Plaza fire, the KP government did not engage in political point-scoring. However, he alleged, political rivals now exploit health issues for political gain.

The subsidy will cover approximately 1.4 to 1.6 million registered motorcycles across the province. Afridi emphasized that the KP government will bear the cost without increasing fares for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. He also noted measures to curb government spending, including banning new vehicle purchases, limiting international travel, and refraining from acquiring helicopters, contrasting this with politicians buying private jets while citizens face soaring fuel costs.