LAHORE: A plea has been filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the increase in pricing of petroleum products in Pakistan.

“Between September 7 and 11, petrol had become costlier by Rs29.95 per liter and diesel by Rs25.27 per liter during the same five days,” the plea stated.

The petitioner said the price of petroleum was being increased daily which has pushed the price of fuel to more than Rs400 per liter.

The petition said the continual hikes in fuel prices are impacting transit, agriculture and the prices of critical commodities. It said paid workers and low-income families are bearing the brunt of the higher fuel expenses.

The petitioner further compared the pricing of diesel in Pakistan with other nations and said that diesel was Rs140 per liter more costly than Bangladesh, Rs122 than India, Rs106 more than Afghanistan and about Rs77 more than Sri Lanka.

The petitioner has asked the high court to call data about petroleum levy, taxes and margins of oil marketing companies and dealers.

The petition also asked for details of the method for fixing prices of petroleum products in the country.

 Pakistan fought back from the brink of an innings defeat to set England a target of 130 runs in the third and final Test at Edgbaston on Friday.

The visitors were bowled out for 449 in their second innings, having resumed the day at 52-2 and faced the prospect of a series whitewash after being dismissed for just 133 in their first innings. A remarkable lower-order assault led by Test debutant Razzaullah and Mohammad Abbas turned the contest around, giving Pakistan a slim chance of forcing a result.

Pakistan had needed 320 runs simply to make England bat again after the hosts posted 453 in their first innings. They eventually surpassed that mark comfortably, with Shan Masood, Babar Azam and Awais also making valuable contributions before the late-order fightback transformed the game.

Awais and Shan resumed the third day’s play and produced a determined 125-run stand for the third wicket. Both batters reached half-centuries before Dan Lawrence finally broke the partnership by dismissing Awais for 59.

Shan then continued to anchor the innings and came agonisingly close to a century. The Pakistan captain made 95 from 148 deliveries, hitting 12 boundaries before Gus Atkinson ended his innings.

Babar subsequently combined with Saud Shakeel for a 64-run fifth-wicket partnership and brought up his 34th Test century, ending a long wait for a hundred in the format. His stay at the crease ended on 76 from 103 balls, with 11 fours and a six, after Josh Tongue had him caught behind.

Saud made 35 before falling to Atkinson, while Ghazi Ghauri and Mohammad Imran departed cheaply as Pakistan slipped to 318-8.

With Pakistan eight wickets down and still needing runs to avoid an innings defeat, Razzaullah and Abbas launched an extraordinary counterattack.

The debutant took the initiative, attacking England’s bowlers with a succession of boundaries. Razzaullah struck nine fours and four sixes during a sensational 81 from only 63 balls, giving Pakistan’s innings fresh momentum when defeat appeared almost inevitable.

Abbas provided crucial support at the other end, producing a career-best 42 from 67 deliveries. The pair added 121 runs for the ninth wicket, taking Pakistan from 318-8 to 439-9 and ensuring England would have to bat again.

Abbas was eventually dismissed with Pakistan on 439, but Razzaullah remained aggressive until the end. He became the final wicket to fall when he was stumped off Dan Lawrence, leaving Pakistan all out for 449 after 96.4 overs.

The 129-run lead means England now require 130 runs to win the Test and complete a series clean sweep. Pakistan, meanwhile, must defend the modest target to prevent England from claiming victory in the final match of the series.

Saudi Arabia has shut down its East-West pipeline after the key oil artery was hit in an air raid in the growing Middle East war.

The world’s top supplier of crude oil temporarily shut the pipeline after a drone strike that Baghdad and Riyadh alleged was carried out by Iraq, home to Iranian-backed militias. Iraq on Saturday sacked a military commander after the incident.

The 1,200-kilometre (745-mile) pipeline across the Arabian Peninsula had helped Saudi Arabia avoid a shipping bottleneck in the Strait of Hormuz, where tanker traffic has reduced to a trickle owing to the US-Iran war.

As a precaution, the Saudi energy ministry announced it had halted the pipeline. The line has been transporting 4 million to 5 million barrels per day in ​recent months, or 4% to 5% of world supplies, ship tracking companies and analysts said.

The strike comes as Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen have reinforced their grip in the Red Sea, which, along with the Strait of Hormuz disruptions, has imposed an energy squeeze on both sides of the Arabian Peninsula, sending global oil prices back above $100 per ⁠barrel.

The 1,200-kilometre (745-mile) pipeline across the Arabian Peninsula has allowed Saudi Arabia to circumvent a shipping bottleneck in the Strait of Hormuz, where tanker traffic has dwindled to a trickle because of the war between the U.S. and Iran.

The Saudi oil ministry stated the pipeline was closed as a precaution. Over the last few months, the line has been carrying four to five million barrels a day, or 4 to 5 percent of the world’s supply, ship tracking companies and analysts said.

The raid comes as Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen have tightened their control in the Red Sea, which together with the Strait of Hormuz disruptions has imposed an energy strain on both sides of the Arabian Peninsula and sent global oil prices back above $100 per ⁠barrel.