Fuel Prices in Pakistan Criticised Amid Global Decline: Watchdog Report
A 38-page white paper released by the Fake News Watchdog has strongly criticised the Pakistani government for raising fuel prices, despite a global downward trend in petroleum rates. The report argues that local prices are disproportionately high and weighed down by excessive taxation.
According to the watchdog, the government is collecting a record-high petroleum levy of Rs103 per litre. It pointed out a stark comparison: in the year 2000, when global crude oil stood at USD 22 per barrel, petrol in Pakistan was sold for Rs30 per litre. In contrast, with crude oil now at USD 69 per barrel, Pakistani consumers are paying Rs272 per litre.
The white paper further stated that the government collected Rs1.02 trillion in petroleum levies during the last fiscal year, a burden carried directly by the public. It raised concerns over the ongoing deregulation process in the petroleum sector, calling it misleading
Although the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) officially provides fuel pricing recommendations, the report alleged that the federal government makes the final decision on rates. This, the watchdog claimed, undermines transparency and limits public oversight.
The paper recommends that OGRA be given full authority to set fuel prices independently and publish a clear pricing formula. Such a move, it argued, would foster public trust, improve accountability, and align domestic prices more closely with global market trends.
The report comes at a time when many countries are adjusting their fuel rates downward, and public frustration in Pakistan continues to rise due to inflation and high living costs.
