Pakistan slashes petrol prices amid public backlash; free public transport for a month in Islamabad
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Pakistan slashes petrol prices amid public backlash; free public transport for a month in Islamabad")
State-run public transport in Pakistan's capital and most populous province will be free for the coming month Photograph: (AFP)
Pakistan cuts petrol price by 80 rupees per litre after massive hike sparks protests; diesel stays high as government rolls out subsidies and relief measures
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday (April 3) announced a cut of 80 rupees per litre in petrol prices, lowering the rate to 378 rupees. The government will absorb the reduction through adjustments in the petroleum levy.
The move came just a day after Islamabad sharply increased fuel prices due to rising global oil costs linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict. Diesel prices had surged by 54.9% to 520.35 rupees per litre, while petrol rose by 42.7% to 458.40 rupees per litre.
Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik defended the hike, saying, “It was inevitable to raise the prices due to the international market prices going out of control after the US-Iran war,” during a joint press conference with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb. The revision followed another increase last month, when fuel prices rose by around 20% due to global oil market volatility linked to regional conflicts.
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Pakistan, heavily dependent on oil imports from countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE via the Strait of Hormuz, remains vulnerable to global price fluctuations. The steep hikes sparked widespread protests, long queues at fuel stations, and public anger amid an ongoing economic crisis. In response, the government introduced relief measures. Aurangzeb announced a subsidy of 100 rupees per litre for two-wheeler users, capped at 20 litres per month for a period of three months.
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Pakistan announces free public transport
Additionally, authorities declared free public transport for a month in the capital and the most populous province.
Sharif later said, "This decrease will be applicable for at least one month," adding, “I promise I will not rest until your life is back to normal.” However, diesel prices remain unchanged at 520 rupees per litre following the earlier hike.
