Petrol Just Got Cheaper, Diesel Just Got Pricier. Here’s Why That Feels Weird
From today, the price of petrol in Pakistan has been cut by Rs 1.70 per litre, while high-speed diesel has gone up by Rs 1.39 per litre. Drivers who fill up with petrol will pay slightly less at the pump. Anyone running on diesel — which is most public transport, freight and ride-hailing — will pay slightly more.
What changed from today
The Petroleum Division issued the new fortnightly price notification on Tuesday evening. The new rates are in effect for Wednesday, 12 August 2026, and will hold until the next review on 26 August 2026.
Petrol (motor spirit) is now Rs 325.92 per litre, down from Rs 327.62. High-speed diesel is now Rs 382.25 per litre, up from Rs 380.86. The levy on diesel has also been raised by Rs 2 to Rs 76.28 per litre, while the levy on petrol stays at Rs 80 per litre. The levy on kerosene remains Rs 20.36 per litre.
In plain terms: a small saving on petrol, a small hit on diesel. If you only ever fill your bike or your car with petrol, you’ll feel the first. If you drive a diesel car, run a small business with a delivery van, or take the bus, the second matters more for you than the first does.
Why petrol went down and diesel went up
Pakistan’s pump prices are revised every fortnight using the international Platts benchmark, the dollar-rupee exchange rate, and a stack of government taxes and levies. The two fuels move separately because they are priced off slightly different international markers.
For this fortnight, the international gasoline (petrol) reference has been slightly softer, while the diesel marker has firmed because of tighter shipping supplies in the Middle East and the ongoing uncertainty around the Strait of Hormuz. On top of that, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority has nudged the diesel levy up by Rs 2 per litre. Petrol’s levy is unchanged.
The result is the slightly odd-looking split: petrol down, diesel up, on the same day.
What this means for your wallet
For a typical car owner with a 40-litre petrol tank, the new price means a Rs 68 saving per full tank. That is not a lot, but it is real, and it adds up over a month of daily driving. For a small transport business running two or three diesel vans, the same maths works the other way: a Rs 50–60 increase in the cost of filling each tank. That is the real story behind the headline.
Ride-hailing drivers on diesel platforms — most Careem, Uber and inDrive cars run on petrol in Pakistan, but intercity coaches and freight are overwhelmingly diesel — will see their margins squeezed again, and that often flows through to fares within a few days.
The bigger question, which we covered earlier this week, is whether the government’s separate standoff with petrol dealers will lead to a nationwide pump shutdown from 15 August. Even if it does, the ex-depot prices will not change — what changes is whether your local station is open to sell at them.
What hasn’t changed
Light diesel oil, kerosene and LPG cylinder prices have been held at their previous levels. The federal taxes and duties on petrol (Rs 114 per litre) and high-speed diesel (Rs 100 per litre) are also unchanged — those are the bigger fixed components of what you actually pay, and they have been the same for several fortnights now.
The government also continues to use the fortnightly pricing system that was introduced in 2022, which means the next chance for any change is the 26 August 2026 review.
Why diesel matters more than petrol in this country
Even though more Pakistani households own a petrol car than a diesel one, diesel is the fuel that actually moves the country. Long-distance goods transport, inter-city buses, tractors, tubewells in many farming belts, and most of the heavy commercial fleet runs on diesel. When diesel prices rise, the effect shows up first in the cost of vegetables, milk, and flour in cities, because those goods travel to market by road.
This is why the Rs 1.39 increase on diesel, even though it is small in absolute terms, is the more important part of today’s notification for most people who are not personally driving a petrol car.
How to check the price at your nearest pump
- Look at the pump display. Every station is required to display the official ex-depot price for the day. If the price on the board is different from what you’re being charged, ask why.
- Use the PSO and Shell apps. Both apps show the official ex-depot price and the company-operated station price for your city.
- Watch for the next review date. Prices change on the 1st and 15th of each month. If a station is charging a different price mid-fortnight, it is either slow to update or is adding its own margin.
- Don’t pre-pay the new rate before 12 August. If you topped up your tank on 11 August, you paid the old rate. From 12 August onwards, the new rate applies everywhere in Pakistan.
The bigger picture
Today’s split — petrol down, diesel up — is the kind of move that looks small but tells you a lot about the state of the fuel market. International gasoline supply is comfortable, which is why petrol can come down. Middle East shipping is still tense, which is why diesel cannot.
If you are a household budgeting for the month, the practical takeaway is straightforward: if your transport is mostly your own petrol car or bike, the next two weeks are a little easier. If your business depends on diesel, on freight, or on the supply chains that move food and goods to your city, the next two weeks will be a little harder. And the next change is due on 26 August.
What people are asking
What is the new petrol price in Pakistan today (12 August 2026)?
Rs 325.92 per litre, down by Rs 1.70 from the previous fortnight.
What is the new diesel price in Pakistan today?
Rs 382.25 per litre, up by Rs 1.39 from the previous fortnight.
Why did petrol get cheaper but diesel get more expensive on the same day?
The two fuels are priced off different international markers. International gasoline softened this fortnight, while diesel firmed on tighter Middle East shipping and Hormuz-related uncertainty. The government also nudged the diesel levy up by Rs 2 per litre.
When is the next fuel price review?
The next fortnightly review is due on 26 August 2026.
Has the petrol or diesel tax changed?
The federal taxes and duties on petrol (Rs 114 per litre) and high-speed diesel (Rs 100 per litre) are unchanged. The diesel levy has been raised by Rs 2 to Rs 76.28 per litre. The petrol levy is unchanged at Rs 80 per litre.
Have LPG, kerosene or light diesel prices changed?
No. Those three fuels are held at their previous levels for this fortnight.
Will ride-hailing fares change because of the diesel increase?
Intercity and freight fares are most likely to be affected first. Within cities, ride-hailing platforms usually update fuel surcharges weekly, so any change in fares will show up within a few days.
Does this affect the petrol dealers’ strike threat from 15 August?
No. The new prices are what the government has set for the fortnight. Whether stations stay open to sell at those prices is a separate question, which depends on whether the dealers and the government can resolve their margin dispute before Saturday.
