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Price of petrol, diesel may increase by Rs32 per litre from Feb 16

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  • US dollar exchange rate stands at 271.82 for next fortnight.
  • Mogas price would likely go up by 12.8% per litre.
  • Price of diesel could rise by 12.5%.

ISLAMABAD: In yet another hike, the prices of petroleum products may increase by over Rs32/litre from February 16 (tomorrow) owing to the US dollar exchange rate, The News reported. 

Petroleum, oil and lubricants prices closed at Rs236.40 per dollar which currently stands at 271.82 for the next fortnight. However, the free-on-board Platt prices saw a decline as compared to last fortnight’s pricing.

As per the official and industrial sources, the Mogas price would likely go up by 12.8% per litre or by Rs32.07 to stand at Rs281.87 from Rs249.8 per litre. 

Similarly, the price of diesel could rise by 12.5% or by Rs32.84 to stand at Rs295.64 from Rs262.8 per litre previously.

Kerosene oil price was forecast to increase 14.8% or by Rs28.05 to stand at Rs217.88 per litre, while light diesel oil (LDO) could go up 5.3% or by Rs9.90 to stand at Rs196.90 from Rs187 per litre set in the last review.

The above prices have been assumed based on the current government taxes and estimated Pakistan State Oil (PSO) incidentals. The government might adjust the exchange rate at over Rs251 with an increase of Rs15 per litre for both products of Mogas and diesel. The petroleum levy for diesel which stands at Rs40 could increase by Rs10 to Rs50 from February 16.

The government had earmarked the target to get a revenue of Rs850 billion by imposing a petroleum levy on petroleum, oil and lubricants, but the shortfall in this head has been estimated at Rs250 billion, and the authorities have pinned hopes on getting a revenue of Rs600 billion.

The government had carried out a massive increase of Rs35 per litre from February 1, 2023, till February 15.

Currently, the government is charging Rs50 per litre petroleum levy, whereas the general sales tax (GST) has not been imposed yet.

The official said that the exchange rate losses to the refineries and oil marketing companies (OMCs) would be done away with in a staggered manner later on as the government right now does not want to pass the full exchange rate on to the consumers.

The last increase in prices of petroleum products was made in the review on January 29, 2021, by the federal government.

Pakistan is currently facing a short supply of petrol, with its most populous province, Punjab bearing the brunt of the crisis, which was being blamed on petroleum dealers.

It has also been alleged that hoarders were holding onto petrol stocks in anticipation of a price hike scheduled on February 15 (today).

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Finance Minister Meets With World Leaders at World Economic Forum in Davos

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During his attendance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has met with officials of organisations and leaders of many nations.
Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor, Muhammad Younas, met with Mohammad Aurangzeb.
On the fringes of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting 2025 Opening Banquet, there was an informal meeting.
Additionally, the Finance Minister met with Anwar Ibrahim, the Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Both leaders discussed economic cooperation and bilateral ties.
Muhammad Aurangzeb also had a meeting with Dp World’s Rizwan Soomro and Yuvraj Narayan.
They talked about how to strengthen Pakistan’s logistics and infrastructure systems to support trade.
“The Pakistani government is committed to advancing joint projects and values partnerships in both business-to-business and business-to-government cooperation,” the finance minister added.

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China will establish a $250 million EV production facility in Pakistan.

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As Islamabad looks to Beijing to work with it to establish industrial zones for the production of electronic vehicles, the media said Wednesday that China’s ADM Group would invest $250 million to establish an electric vehicle manufacturing unit in Pakistan.

With an even more ambitious target of 90 percent by 2040, the Pakistani government established the National Electric Vehicles Policy (NEVP) in 2019 with the goal of having 30 percent of all passenger cars and heavy-duty trucks be electric by 2030.

By 2030, the policy aimed to achieve 50% of new sales for two- and three-wheelers and buses, and by 2040, 90%.

As part of the Special Investment Facilitation Council’s efforts to draw in foreign investment, Radio Pakistan reported that the Chinese company ADM Group had announced an investment of $250 million to establish an EV manufacturing plant in Pakistan.

“The switch to EVs is anticipated to save billions of dollars by reducing the cost of fuel imports.”

More than 3,000 electric vehicle charging stations will be installed throughout Pakistan, a South Asian nation, as part of ADM Group’s $350 million investment in the EV industry last year.

Pakistan announced earlier this month that, as part of its ongoing energy sector reform aimed at increasing demand, it would reduce the power rate for operators of electric vehicle charging stations by 45 percent.

Additionally, financial programs for e-bikes and the conversion of gasoline-powered two- and three-wheeled vehicles are planned by the government.

On January 15, the government approved a lower tariff of 39.70 rupees ($0.14) per unit, which will take effect in a month. The previous tariff was 71.10 rupees.

The government anticipates that investors in the industry will see an internal rate of return of over 20 percent.

There are currently over 30 million two- and three-wheeled cars in Pakistan, and they use more than $5 billion worth of petroleum each year, according to a report that Power Ministry adviser Ammar Habib Khan provided to the government and that was covered by Reuters.

The paper estimates that the ministry will save around $165 million in gasoline import expenses each year by converting 1 million two-wheelers to electric motorcycles in a first phase, at an estimated net cost of 40,000 rupees per bike.

In September, BYD Pakistan, a joint venture between China’s BYD and the Pakistani automaker Mega Motors, informed Reuters that, in accordance with international goals, up to 50% of all vehicles purchased in Pakistan by 2030 will be electrified in some way.

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The government has introduced a comprehensive strategy to enhance industrial investment.

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Authorities are poised to execute an ambitious investment promotion strategy through a collaborative initiative between the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA) and the Pakistan Administrative Staff College, aiming for substantial enhancements in industrial investment and economic development.

The Special Investment Facilitation Center (SIFC) will be instrumental in this transformative drive by establishing “Business Facilitation Centers” aimed at optimizing investment processes and attracting both domestic and foreign capital.

Principal features of the comprehensive plan encompass:

  1. Forming collaborative working groups to augment domestic and international investment prospects
  2. Formulating a comprehensive strategy to eradicate obstacles to industrial development
  3. Formulating a novel model to tackle issues in the execution of industrial projects
  4. Striving to enhance Pakistan’s international business rating by 50 points
    Targeting $20 billion in foreign industrial investments within the next five years.

The approach prioritizes digital transformation to enhance the transparency and efficiency of the investment process. SIFC’s strategy emphasizes fostering a favorable atmosphere for investors by streamlining bureaucratic processes and offering strategic assistance.

National administration officers are conducting ongoing study to identify and mitigate potential investment barriers, while a specialized research group is formulating a comprehensive strategy to solve current hurdles in industrial growth.

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