Diesel consumers are finally getting a major break, while petrol users have once again been handed a slightly larger bill. The government announced Rs32.63 per litre reduction in High Speed Diesel (HSD), bringing its price down from Rs395.69 to Rs363.06 per litre from August 20, 2026. Petrol, meanwhile, has moved in the opposite direction, rising Rs2.97 per litre from Rs334.54 to Rs337.51.
The diesel cut follows negotiations between the government and petroleum refineries after diesel prices had climbed sharply amid rising international oil costs.
Petroleum Minister Ali Pervez Malik said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif personally directed him to engage with refineries and seek relief for consumers. According to Malik, the government held two or three virtual meetings with refinery representatives. The refineries reportedly explained the difficulties facing the industry but eventually agreed to the government’s request.
The minister described the outcome as a “significant decrease”, with the final reduction coming in at more than Rs30 per litre and settling at Rs32.63. For once, the arithmetic at the fuel station is working in the consumer’s favour, at least if the vehicle runs on diesel.
The contrasting movements come against a backdrop of heightened tensions in the Middle East, which have pushed global petroleum prices higher and contributed to repeated increases in Pakistan’s domestic diesel rates.
The government’s latest decision therefore offers an unusual combination: a massive Rs32.63 cut for diesel, a Rs2.97 hike for petrol, and enough confusion at fuel stations to keep everyone checking the price board twice. The revised ex-depot prices will take effect on August 20, 2026, under the petroleum pricing mechanism reviewed by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA).
Petrol Price crosses Rs334, Diesel nears Rs400 as Prices Jump for 2nd Day
