KARACHI: Pakistan has emerged as the regional outlier in fuel pricing, recording the sharpest weekly increase in diesel rates across South Asia, as the federal government’s daily price mechanism continues to squeeze transporters and consumers alike.
Renowned columnist Farrukh Saleem noted that Pakistan’s diesel prices jumped by a staggering 20 per cent in just one week, far outpacing Afghanistan’s modest 1.4pc rise, while India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal reported no change at all.
According to official notifications, diesel now sells at Rs388.38 per litre, up from Rs323.30 a week earlier — a Rs65.08 surge that has rattled the goods transport sector.
Transporters say the daily revision of petroleum prices has left them unable to plan operations or absorb costs. The Pakistan Goods Transport Alliance has already announced successive fare hikes, warning that freight charges are spiraling beyond affordability.
“Every round trip of a trailer now costs hundreds of thousands more. We are compelled to pass this burden onto consumers,” one representative lamented.
The ripple effect is evident: higher fares are pushing up the cost of essential commodities, deepening inflationary pressures already straining household budgets. Traders and civil society groups argue that the government’s formula has destabilized the market, eroding confidence and threatening supply chains.
Observers warn that unless the policy is reviewed, Pakistan’s transport backbone could grind to a halt, with cascading consequences for food distribution, industrial supply, and everyday life.
