Pakistan may reduce petroleum prices on December 15 to be effective for last fortnight of the year 2022. Experts believe that the government may reduce the prices of petroleum products in the wake of sharp decline in oil prices in global markets.
Benchmark Brent crude is ended at $76 per barrel in the international trade. The Brent crude has hit above $120 per barrel during mid-June this year and now fell to the present level leaving ample room to the present government to revise downward the prices to provide relief the domestic consumers.
READ MORE: New petroleum prices in Pakistan effective from December 01, 2022
An energy expert told PkRevenue that the country may revise the petroleum prices for the next fortnight amid sharp fall in international oil prices.
However, on the other hand the depreciation in rupee value and imminent imposition of sales tax on petroleum products the benefit of decline in international oil prices may not pass on to domestic consumers.
READ MORE: Pakistan may impose petroleum tax to avert revenue shortfall
The expert believed that the imposition of sales tax on petroleum products would increase the retail prices as well as result in high inflation.
However, experts believed that rise in petroleum prices were imminent in the next review as the government was under immense pressure from the IMF to impose sales tax on petroleum products.
At present the government adopted a policy to keep zero sales tax on petroleum products instead flat rate of 17 per cent. Furthermore, the government also committed to apply petroleum levy to generate more revenue for curtailing budget deficit.
READ MORE: Petroleum prices in Pakistan for next fortnight effective from November 16, 2022
The government on December 01, 2022 revised the latest petroleum prices. According to a notification, the prices of petroleum products with effect from December 01, 2022 till December 15, 2022 are be as follows:
Petrol price will be remained unchanged at Rs224.80 per liter.
The rate of high speed diesel (HSD) will also be remained unchanged at Rs235.30 per liter.
The price of kerosene has been reduced by Rs10 per liter to Rs181.83 from Rs191.30.
READ MORE: Petroleum prices in Pakistan effective from November 01, 2022
Likewise, the price of light diesel oil has been reduced by Rs7.50 per liter to Rs179.00 from Rs186.50.
The exchange rate is again showing a deterioration in rupee value against the dollar. The US dollar continued to make gain against the Pakistani Rupee (PKR) on December 09, 2022 and reached PKR 224.40 in the interbank foreign exchange market.
