The federal government on Saturday increased the price of high-speed diesel by Rs11.30 per litre while keeping petrol rates unchanged for the next fortnight, effective February 1, according to a notification issued by the Petroleum Division.
With the latest revision, the price of high-speed diesel has risen to Rs268.38 per litre from Rs257.08, while petrol will continue to be sold at Rs253.17 per litre for the next 15 days.
In the previous price review, the government had maintained both petrol and diesel prices at Rs253.17 and Rs257.08 per litre, respectively.
Petrol is primarily used by commuters, including owners of small vehicles, rickshaws and motorcycles. Any increase in petrol prices directly affects middle- and lower-middle-income households that depend on it for daily travel.
High-speed diesel, meanwhile, powers a large part of the transport and agricultural sectors. It is widely used in trucks, buses, trains and farm machinery such as tractors, tube wells and threshers.
Economists note that diesel price hikes are considered inflationary, as they raise freight costs and often lead to higher prices of vegetables and other essential food items.
