Fuel dealers urge consumers to avoid ‘panic buying’

Pakistan’s petroleum dealers have asked consumers to avoid stockpiling fuel, saying extra purchases could disrupt local supply. Dawn reported that Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association chairman Malik Khuda Baksh said the country’s fuel situation was under control, with refineries operating and crude oil and petroleum products arriving from Gulf suppliers. He also noted that the recent Iran border closure had placed the liquefied petroleum gas market under pressure.

Industry estimates put November 2026 diesel demand at about 750,000 tonnes, with seasonal farming needs supporting consumption, while petrol demand is projected at around 630,000 tonnes. Local refineries meet roughly 70 per cent of diesel needs, whereas domestic output covers about 30 per cent of petrol use. Separately, Jamaat-i-Islami wants Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to meet its leader this week and provide further public relief over the fuel levy; a technical committee is due to review unresolved matters within two to three days.