KARACHI (Web Desk) – The federal government has raised the price of kerosene oil by Rs4.66 per litre, taking it to Rs433.40 per litre with effect from March 28, according to a notification issued by the Petroleum Division.
The latest adjustment comes amid sustained volatility in global oil markets, even as authorities opted to hold petrol and diesel prices unchanged to shield consumers from a sharper impact.
Petrol will continue to retail at Rs321.17 per litre, while high-speed diesel remains at Rs335.86 per litre. Officials said the decision to maintain these rates was taken despite significant upward pressure internationally, reflecting an effort to contain inflationary spillovers on transport and essential goods.
Under the revised pricing structure, the government will provide substantial financial support to oil marketing companies through the Petroleum Development Cess. The notification outlined payments of Rs95.59 per litre on petrol and Rs203.88 per litre on diesel, signalling a considerable fiscal burden aimed at stabilising domestic fuel prices.
The latest increase follows an earlier revision on March 21, when kerosene prices had already surged to Rs428.74 per litre. The back-to-back adjustments highlight the mounting strain on domestic pricing mechanisms as global energy markets remain unsettled, largely due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and fluctuations in crude oil benchmarks.
Kerosene, widely used in remote and low-income households for cooking and heating, remains particularly sensitive to such price changes. The upward revision is expected to have a direct impact on vulnerable segments of the population, as well as small businesses that rely on the fuel as a cost-effective energy source.