In January 2020 petrol in Pakistan was around PKR 116 per litre. By mid-2026 it crossed PKR 285. That is more than a 140% increase in six years — faster than salary growth in almost every sector. Here is how it happened, year by year.
2020 – The COVID crash
Global oil demand collapsed as travel stopped. Petrol touched PKR 74 in Pakistan in May 2020, the lowest in the last decade. Consumers who could afford cars saved thousands per month; ride-hailing drivers however lost income because rides also disappeared.
2021 – Recovery and gradual rise
As economies reopened, global demand returned faster than supply. Petrol rose to PKR 140 by December 2021. This was still cushioned by a heavy PDL subsidy that the incoming IMF programme would later force to be removed.
2022 – The Russia-Ukraine shock
The invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 pushed Brent above USD 120. Pakistan's petrol jumped from PKR 150 in February to PKR 249 by August. This is the year most drivers started tracking fuel efficiency seriously.
2023 – IMF, tax hikes and PKR weakness
The rupee weakened past 300 vs USD in the open market. Even when Brent cooled, the exchange rate kept fuel expensive. Petrol crossed PKR 330 in September 2023 — its all-time high in nominal terms at that point.
2024–2026 – A new normal above PKR 250
Prices settled in a PKR 250 – 290 band. Drivers now treat fuel like a fixed household bill: track it, budget for it, and use a calculator before every long trip.