A few words on the screen can make oil prices surge or drop, influencing the lives of billions. As US President Donald Trump expresses his views through posts on the social media platform Truth Social, markets respond, triggering a chain reaction of fuel prices, inflation, austerity measures, and policy controls that govern the lives of people across the globe.

Throughout the oil roller coaster price ride, Pakistan has adapted to changes in petrol and diesel prices. Petrol prices rose from Rs266 on March 1 to Rs321 on March 6, around the time the US president posted that “there will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” This signalled to markets that the conflict would not be over as soon as people hoped.

Diesel prices rose to Rs336 per litre from Rs281. Diesel is closely linked to the agricultural sector, as it powers machinery and heavy vehicles that transport produce. Higher diesel prices result in a double whammy on food prices since they increase the cost of inputs, along with the inflationary effects of the higher petrol prices.

Then came the second petrol price shock. The price of petrol rose to Rs458 per litre before coming down to Rs378. Since the ceasefire, petrol and diesel prices have both come down to Rs366 and Rs385 respectively.

President Trump’s posts can ripple down to something as simple as whether a man on a motorcycle can afford to take his family out for a ride. For millions like him, and for the lives of the innocents, the peace must hold.

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, April 13th, 2026