Fact-check: Did PM Shehbaz Sharif announce rickshaws for top students?

A graphic that has accumulated thousands of shares and interactions claims that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently launched a scheme to distribute electric and loader rickshaws to students who secure the highest marks in their intermediate examinations.

The claim is misleading.

Claim

On August 3, a user on X, formerly known as Twitter, shared a graphic with the overlaid text: “Breaking news, prime minister to give e- and loader rickshaws to top-performing students.”

The post had been viewed 5,073 times, liked 142 times and reshared 42 times at the time of writing.

The graphic drew ridicule and criticism on social media, with users mocking the alleged plan to give rickshaws to high-achieving students.

Identical claims were also shared elsewhere on X and can be seen here and here.

Fact

The online posts misrepresent a federal government scheme announced in July 2025. In fact, the initiative provides free electric bikes to top-performing students, while electric and loader rickshaws are designated for unemployed persons.

Arshad Munir, additional secretary for media at the Prime Minister's Office, told Geo Fact Check and shared the federal government's official 2025 press release announcing the scheme. The statement says electric and loader rickshaws will be provided to unemployed individuals, while free electric bikes will be given to students.

According to the press release, free electric bikes will be awarded to male and female students who secure top positions in the intermediate examinations conducted by the Federal Board and educational boards across the country. It also states that 25% of the allocation will be reserved for women.

Geo Fact Check also found that several mainstream media outlets reported on the announcement in July 2025. Some of those reports can be read here and here.

Junaid Cheema, team lead for digital media at the Prime Minister's Youth Programme, also told Geo Fact Check via messages that, to his knowledge, no scheme exists to provide rickshaws to students.

Verdict: The government's July 2025 scheme provides free electric bikes to top-performing students. Electric and loader rickshaws are intended for unemployed persons, not students.

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