LHC moved against recent increase in petrol, diesel prices

LAHORE: A constitutional petition has been filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) challenging the recent hike in petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) prices, with the petitioner seeking immediate relief for consumers.

The petition was filed by Advocate Muhammad Azhar Siddique, who has requested the court to order the government to withdraw the increase and provide relief to the public.

The government recently raised the price of petrol by Rs5.02 per litre and HSD by Rs5.28 per litre, taking the petrol price to Rs375.82 per litre.

The petitioner claimed that petrol and diesel prices had risen by more than Rs30 and Rs25 per litre, respectively, within a week. He also argued that petroleum prices in Pakistan were higher than in several other countries in the region.

The petition stated that citing fluctuations in international oil prices alone was not sufficient justification for the hikes and called on the government to disclose the complete pricing formula used for petrol and diesel.

The petitioner further argued that repeated increases in petroleum prices had fueled inflation and placed an additional financial burden on the public.