Karachi, February 28, 2026 – Pakistan is likely to increase petroleum prices from March 1, driven by rising international fuel rates, sources reported on Friday. Petrol prices may climb by Rs4.58 per litre, while high-speed diesel (HSD) could see a rise of Rs4.73 per litre.
Other fuel products are also expected to become more expensive, with kerosene potentially increasing by Rs6.88 per litre and light diesel oil by Rs5 per litre. In the previous fortnightly review on February 15, the federal government had raised petrol and HSD rates by Rs5 and Rs7.32 per litre, respectively. Following that adjustment, the petrol price stood at Rs258.17 per litre, and diesel at Rs275.7 per litre.
International oil prices have surged, adding pressure on domestic fuel costs. Brent crude futures rose by $2.09 (around 3%) to $72.84 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude increased by $2.33 (3.6%) to $67.54 per barrel by 1422 GMT on Friday. Both benchmarks are trading at their highest levels since mid-2025, with weekly gains of 1.6% for Brent and 1.7% for WTI.
Analysts say oil prices jumped over a dollar a barrel due to stalled US-Iran nuclear talks, which included disagreements on uranium enrichment. Prices slightly eased after an Omani mediator reported progress in the discussions. The rising global oil rates are expected to directly impact Pakistan’s fuel prices for the first half of March 2026, affecting transportation and energy costs nationwide.