Pakistan Hikes Petrol by Rs6.51, Diesel by Rs19.39 Per Litre

The federal government has announced a significant increase in petroleum prices, raising petrol by Rs6.51 and high-speed diesel by Rs19.39 per litre, effective from the start of May. The revision, announced late Thursday night, marks one of the steeper diesel adjustments in recent fortnightly cycles and is expected to add measurable pressure on transport costs, industrial logistics, and agricultural inputs across the country.

The diesel hike, in particular, carries broad economic implications given its role as the primary fuel for freight vehicles, tube wells, and power generators. Analysts note that a Rs19-plus increase in a single cycle will filter into consumer prices for food, goods, and services within days, deepening cost-of-living pressures already elevated by persistent inflation.

The government links the revision to movements in global crude oil benchmarks and the exchange rate, with the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority providing the formula-based calculations that inform each fortnightly determination. Officials have not indicated any immediate compensatory relief measure for lower-income groups or the transport sector.

The announcement comes as Pakistan continues to navigate a tight fiscal environment under its IMF programme, which limits the government's ability to absorb fuel price differentials through subsidy. Opposition parties are likely to seize on the diesel increase as evidence of mounting economic mismanagement ahead of a politically sensitive period.