Petition Filed in Lahore High Court Against Fuel Price Increase and Proposed Daily Pricing Mechanism
A petition has been submitted to the Lahore High Court (LHC) challenging the recent increase in petroleum prices and the government’s reported move toward a more frequent fuel pricing mechanism.
The petition was filed by Judicial Activism Panel Chairman Azhar Siddique, who has questioned the legal and regulatory basis for revising fuel prices over very short intervals.
Recent Fuel Price Revisions
According to the petition, the Ministry of Energy’s Petroleum Division revised petroleum prices through a notification issued on July 10.
Under that notification:
- Petrol increased from Rs. 297.53 to Rs. 310.71 per litre.
- High-speed diesel increased from Rs. 309.50 to Rs. 323.30 per litre.
The revised prices became effective on July 11.
The petition also refers to a subsequent notification issued about a week later, under which:
- Petrol increased by Rs. 5.44 to Rs. 316.15 per litre.
- High-speed diesel increased by Rs. 31.05 to Rs. 354.35 per litre.
Concerns Over Pricing Mechanism
The petitioner argues that consecutive revisions suggest the introduction of a more frequent petroleum pricing system.
According to the plea, there has been no publicly available explanation outlining the legal framework, pricing methodology, or formula supporting such a mechanism.
The petition further states that greater transparency is needed regarding how fuel prices are calculated and implemented.
Impact on Consumers and Economy
The petition highlights that petroleum products play an important role in transportation, agriculture, industry, and electricity generation.
It argues that frequent fuel price changes may affect operating costs across multiple sectors, potentially influencing inflation and increasing financial pressure on consumers, businesses, transport operators, and farmers.
The petitioner has also raised questions regarding the calculation of petroleum-related levies and requested greater public disclosure of the pricing components used in determining retail fuel prices.
Relief Requested From the Court
The petition asks the Lahore High Court to:
- Review the petroleum price notification issued on July 17.
- Examine the legality of introducing short-term or daily fuel price revisions.
- Direct the government to publicly disclose the petroleum pricing formula and the legal basis used to determine fuel prices.
The court is expected to consider the petition in accordance with the applicable legal process.
