Islamabad, Sep 16 — Goods transporters were facing difficulties due to the persistent rise in diesel prices in Pakistan, with several of them suspending operations as they incurred financial losses, All Pakistan Goods Transport Owners Association President Muhammad Owais Chaudhry said, according to local media reports on Wednesday.
Chaudhry said the price of diesel has become very high, resulting in transporters not being able to make reasonable profits after spending money on fuel, taxes and levies, the Pakistan-based daily The Express Tribune reported.
Chaudhry said, "The savings generated from running vehicles have now turned into losses because of expensive diesel", adding that transporters were facing difficulties in continuing operations. He slammed the Pakistan government for raising diesel prices instead of providing relief to consumers and businesses, saying the additional cost was ultimately connected to the goods transport sector. He called on the Pakistani authorities to reduce the price of petrol and diesel, The Express Tribune reported.
On Tuesday, the Pakistan government raised the cost of petrol by Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 4.10 per litre and high-speed diesel (HSD) by PKR 6.41 per litre. After the government's latest announcement, petrol in Pakistan will be sold at PKR 384.34 per litre, and the price of HSD has reached PKR 415.83 per litre, Pakistan-based another daily Dawn reported.
The Pakistani government continues to impose PKR 114 per litre in taxes and duties on petrol and PKR 100 per litre on diesel. The new prices of petrol and diesel announced by the Pakistani government will be applicable on Wednesday, Dawn reported.
On July 17, Pakistan's Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik said that fuel prices would now be decided on a regular basis due to fluctuations in international market prices after renewed tensions between Iran and the US.
Earlier, the Pakistani government had been making weekly revisions in fuel prices and taking measures for conservation of fuel after the conflict erupted in West Asia.