ISLAMABAD: Owing to impact of oil prices in international market, the prices of high-speed diesel (HSD), kerosene and light diesel oil (LDO) are estimated to increase by about Rs4 to Rs5 per litre on New Year’s Eve, for the first fortnight of 2025.

However, informed sources said, the ex-depot price of petrol was estimated to be range-bound, swinging either way with a Re1 per litre change, depending on final calculation on Dec 31.

In the mid of December, the ex-depot price of HSD was reduced by Rs3.05 (1.18pc) to Rs255.38 per litre, while the petrol price remained unchanged.

Sources said the average prices of HSD and LDO have slightly increased in the international market during the last fortnight while ex-refinery cost of kerosene oil was also slig­htly on the higher side. Imp­ort premium on both petrol and diesel remained unchanged while exchange rate on average remained stable.

Due to these factors, the latest calculation as of Dec 28 showed around Rs4 per litre increase in HSD, Rs5 per litre in kerosene and LDO.

An official of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) said the price difference for petrol was very small, which could be adjusted within the inland freight equalisation margin — a mechanism actually meant for uniform prices across the country.

The ex-depot petrol price currently stands at Rs252.10 per litre while that of HSD is Rs255.38 per litre.

Petrol is mostly used in private transport, small vehicles, rickshaws and two-wheelers and has a direct bearing on the budget of middle- and lower-middle class.

Most of the transport sector runs on HSD. Its price is considered inflationary as it is mostly used in heavy transport vehicles, trains and agricultural engines like trucks, buses, tractors, tube-wells and threshers and particularly impacts the prices of vegetables and other eatables.

At present, the government is charging about Rs76 per litre tax on both petrol and HSD.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2024

Follow Dawn Business on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for insights on business, finance and tech from Pakistan and across the world.

Opinion

One year on

One year on

Governance by the ruling coalition has been underwhelming and marked by growing authoritarianism.

Editorial

Climate funding gap
Updated 17 Feb, 2025

Climate funding gap

Pakistan must boost its institutional capacity to develop bankable climate projects.
UN monitoring report
Updated 17 Feb, 2025

UN monitoring report

Pakistan must press Kabul diplomatically over its tolerance of TTP terrorism.
Tax policy reform
17 Feb, 2025

Tax policy reform

THE cabinet’s decision to create a Tax Policy Office at the finance ministry has raised hopes that tax policy is...
Maintaining balance
Updated 16 Feb, 2025

Maintaining balance

It must take a more proactive approach to establishing Pakistan’s bona fides.
Welcome return
16 Feb, 2025

Welcome return

IT is almost here; the moment Pakistan has long been waiting for — the first International Cricket Council...
Childhood trauma
16 Feb, 2025

Childhood trauma

BEING a child in this society should not be so hard. But recurrent reports of child abuse — from burying girl...