The government has announced a sharp rise in fuel prices: petrol is up by Rs. 137.23 to Rs. 458.41 per litre, and diesel has jumped by Rs. 184.49 to Rs. 520.35 per litre. Motorcyclists will receive a Rs. 100 petrol subsidy, capped at 20 litres per month.
Speaking at a news conference, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervez Malik painted a stark picture: the ongoing war has unleashed a shockwave across global energy markets, a spreading inferno that has pushed prices to unprecedented levels. He called for national unity and discipline, stressing that the hard choices the government is making today are born of necessity — this administration did not create the storm, but it has been engulfed by it, impeding long-term development plans. The minister said the situation has been deteriorating for several weeks.
Malik explained that Pakistan sources some 90% of its energy from Dubai and Oman, where prices have surged to record heights and crude has surpassed $250 a barrel. In response, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has sought to shield ordinary people through austerity: slashing cabinet pay, curbing government petrol privileges and reducing development spending. The government has spent Rs. 129 billion since March 1 to buffer the public from the worst effects.
He concluded by noting that, while even wealthy nations have declared energy emergencies and deployed their armies to petrol stations, Pakistan’s prompt measures ensured there was no interruption in fuel supply.