- The government has to pay OMCs Rs 95.59 on petrol, Rs 203.88 on diesel under PDC.
- PM blocks petrol, diesel hikes, bears Rs56bn to protect consumers
- Highlighting diplomacy, says Pakistan, leading talks with Iran, Gulf.
KARACHI: The federal government has hiked the price of petroleum oil by Rs4.66 per litre, bringing it to Rs433.40 per litre, with effect from March 28, according to a notification issued by the Petroleum Division.
However, petrol and diesel prices remain unchanged at Rs321.17 and Rs335.86 per liter respectively, despite significant increases in the global oil market.
The Petroleum Division said petrol and diesel prices were kept stable to protect consumers from international price shocks.
The government will pay oil marketing companies Rs 95.59 per liter on petrol and Rs 203.88 per liter on diesel under the Petroleum Development Cess (PDC), as per the notification.
This latest adjustment follows a revision on March 21, when kerosene prices had risen to Rs 428.74 per litre, marking a sharp rise earlier this month.
The repeated revisions reflect ongoing pressure on domestic fuel prices amid volatile global markets and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
Consumers and businesses continue to feel the ripple effects of rising fuel costs, making this latest increase in kerosene closely watched across the country.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed the nation on the fuel crisis a few hours before the March 28 announcement.
Prime Minister Shehbaz revealed that he had rejected a summary to raise petrol by Rs95 per liter and diesel by Rs203 per litre, keeping the prices of both fuels unchanged for now, despite global increases.
“The government will bear the additional cost, estimated at Rs56 billion, to protect consumers,” the prime minister said during the televised address.
He also highlighted Pakistan’s diplomatic role in the Middle East, including ongoing talks with Iran and the Gulf countries, with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar leading the talks.
Shehbaz vociferously credited CDF Field Marshal Asim Munir and emphasized Pakistan’s active diplomacy day and night to promote peace.
