ISLAMABAD – As Pakistanis continue to stretch every rupee to make ends meet, another wave of rising fuel costs arrived. With petrol and diesel prices climbing sharply under the daily pricing mechanism and inflation tightening its grip, the cost of simply getting from one place to another is becoming a luxury many can scarcely afford.
Inflation-weary Pakistanis are struggling to manage household budgets as inflation continued its upward march, with high-speed diesel surging by 15.87% and petrol rising by 5.23% in just one week, according to the latest weekly inflation report released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
Petrol Prices in Pakistan
|
Date
|
Petrol Price
|
Change
|
|---|---|---|
|
20 July 2026
|
316.15
|
–
|
|
21 July 2026
|
315.80
|
–0.35
|
|
22 July 2026
|
320.73
|
+4.93
|
|
23 July 2026
|
327.12
|
+6.39
|
|
24 July 2026
|
331.52
|
+4.40
|
The report shows that weekly inflation increased by 0.91%, pushing the annual inflation rate to 9.66%, reflecting mounting pressure on consumers already grappling with higher living costs.
Fuel prices recorded the steepest increases during the week, with diesel witnessing a staggering 15.87% jump, while petrol became 5.23% more expensive, a development expected to trigger higher transportation costs and add further pressure on the prices of goods and services across the country.
Food inflation also accelerated, led by a dramatic 39.92% spike in tomato prices, making it the fastest-rising essential commodity during the week. Egg prices climbed by 7.31%, while potatoes became 3.70% more expensive. The cost of LPG also increased by 0.91%, with prices of garlic, beef, and several other essential items registering noticeable gains.
Basic essential commodities recorded price increases over the past week, while 21 items remained unchanged and only 8 commodities became cheaper.
Pakistan’s goods transporters also warned of nationwide strike over rising fuel costs, with the industry blaming frequent diesel price hikes for increasing financial pressure on freight businesses.
Transporters announced a strike anytime, while criticizing the government’s daily fuel pricing mechanism introduced after global oil prices surged due to Middle East tensions. They claim repeated diesel price increases are pushing companies toward closure and have called for talks with authorities. Meanwhile, Pakistani refineries are exploring alternative crude oil sources from countries outside the Middle East amid fears of supply disruptions.
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