ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Saturday kept the petrol price unchanged at Rs265.45 per litre for the next two weeks, while increasing the price of high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs6 per litre, raising it from Rs278.44 to Rs284.44.
According to a notification issued by the Finance Division, the latest revision was made based on recommendations from the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) and consultations with relevant ministries.
The decision comes amid regional supply constraints, particularly affecting diesel availability. Earlier this week, industry sources told The News that petroleum prices were expected to rise significantly by as much as Rs9.60 per litre for diesel due to tightened supplies in the Gulf region.
Pakistan, which relies heavily on diesel imports from Kuwait, has been impacted by an extended maintenance shutdown at one of Kuwait’s refineries. The maintenance, initially scheduled for early November, has now been prolonged by another 15 days, resulting in reduced diesel output. Additionally, production at Kuwait’s major Al-Zour refinery has been partially affected, with only two of its three units running at full capacity.
The combined effect has driven up international diesel prices, pushing Pakistan’s import costs higher. Based on 13 days of available global pricing data, diesel was previously projected to rise to Rs288.04 per litre, marking an estimated 3.4% increase. However, final pricing remained subject to fluctuations in the last two days of global trading.
In contrast, petrol was expected to see a slight decrease of Rs1.96 per litre, potentially bringing the rate down to Rs263.49, but the government chose to maintain the existing price.
Prices of other petroleum products were also projected to rise. Kerosene was expected to increase by Rs8.82, reaching Rs193.87, while light diesel oil (LDO) was anticipated to climb by Rs7.15 to Rs171.13 per litre.
The latest adjustments follow earlier increases on November 1, when petrol was raised by Rs2.43 per litre and diesel by Rs3.02 per litre.
The new prices will remain in effect for the next fortnight, with further adjustments depending on global market trends and supply conditions
