ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has reimbursed more than 8,500 of around 10,000 petrol stations participating in a government fuel relief scheme, the petroleum ministry said on Thursday, as authorities moved to ensure the subsidy reaches eligible motorists amid soaring fuel prices.

The government launched the targeted program this month after a sharp rise in global oil prices pushed domestic petrol and diesel costs higher, offering subsidized fuel to motorcycle and rickshaw users and owners of cars with engines of up to 800cc.

Officials said payments to participating petrol stations were continuing daily.

“All obstacles, including minor issues with account numbers, should be resolved immediately and payments to the remaining petrol stations completed,” Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik said, according to the ministry.

“Action should be taken against petrol stations that deny fuel relief to eligible consumers,” he added, directing the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) to enforce the scheme.

Representatives of petrol pump owners also backed the scheme.

“The scheme is working successfully and we will continue to cooperate with the government,” Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association Chairman Malik Khuda Baksh said, according to the ministry.

The Prime Minister’s Fuel Relief Scheme was approved by the government’s Economic Coordination Committee on Sept. 14 to cushion lower-income households from a surge in transport fuel costs driven by disruptions to global energy markets.

More than 2.2 million people had registered for the scheme by Sunday, according to Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, with motorcycle, rickshaw and Qingqi users accounting for 92 percent of registrations. Around 1.9 million fuel tokens had been issued by then.

The government has earmarked funding for the first three months of the program, with Rs25 billion ($90 million) provided to the State Bank of Pakistan for the first month’s reimbursements. Dealers were previously told that claims submitted under the scheme would be processed within 48 hours.