Key points
- Shehbaz sends petroleum minister to Karachi for talks
- Diesel price rises Rs5.27 amid global oil disruptions
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday ordered Pakistan’s petroleum minister to travel to Karachi and negotiate with oil refineries to reduce diesel prices, seeking immediate relief for consumers after a fresh fuel price increase.
Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik was directed to reach Karachi immediately and hold talks with refineries on lowering the price of locally produced diesel, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.
“The petroleum minister himself should complete negotiations with the refineries as soon as possible to reduce their prices. As much relief as possible should be provided to the public immediately,” the PMO quoted Shehbaz as saying.
اسلام آباد: 19 اگست 2026.
وزیرِ اعظم محمد شہباز شریف نے وزیرِ پیٹرولیم کو فوری کراچی پہنچنے اور ایندھن کی قیمتوں کے حوالے سے عوامی ریلیف کیلئے فوری اقدامات کی ہدایت کی.
وزیرِ اعظم محمد شہباز شریف سے وزیرِ پیٹرولیم علی پرویز ملک کی ملاقات ہوئی جس میں وزیرِ اطلاعات و نشریات… pic.twitter.com/nJOKiWs857
— Prime Minister’s Office (@PakPMO) August 19, 2026
The directive came a day after the government raised petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) prices under its new daily pricing mechanism.
READ ALSO: Pakistan Increases Petrol Price by Rs3.34, Diesel Price by Rs5.27 Per Litre
Petrol prices were increased by Rs3.34 ($0.012) per litre to Rs334.54, while HSD rose by Rs5.27 to Rs395.69 per litre.
Pakistan’s daily price adjustment
Pakistan introduced daily fuel price revisions amid disruptions to global oil supplies linked to the Middle East conflict, replacing the previous fortnightly adjustment system.
The government’s latest move also follows tensions with fuel dealers, who last week gave Islamabad a 72-hour ultimatum over demands for higher margins and changes to the pricing mechanism.
The Pakistan Petroleum Dealers’ Association had sought a variable margin linked to retail fuel prices, proposing a rate of 8 per cent for petrol and diesel.
To avert a nationwide strike, the government approved a 15.5 per cent increase in dealers’ margins on both fuels. The margin will rise by Rs1.34 per litre, from Rs8.64 to Rs9.98, from September 1.
Dealers had also opposed the shift to daily price revisions, arguing that their fixed margins expose them to greater risks as retail prices change more frequently. The government has decided to retain the daily pricing system.
The prime minister’s intervention now shifts attention to domestic refineries, which supply a substantial share of Pakistan’s diesel needs, as the government seeks to cushion consumers from higher fuel costs amid heightened volatility in global energy markets.
