KARACHI: Sales of petroleum products declined by 5.0 per cent in December 2025 compared with November, mainly due to weaker demand for high-speed diesel (HSD) amid a prolonged nationwide strike by goods transporters and subdued overall consumption.
Industry sources said total petroleum product sales stood at 1.35 million tonnes in December, showing a 6.0 per cent increase year-on-year (YoY) but a 5.0 per cent decline month-on-month (MoM). The YoY growth was attributed to signs of economic recovery, easing inflation and improved control of fuel smuggling, while the MoM drop was largely linked to the transporters’ strike that began on December 8 and lasted for 10 days.
During the first half of the current financial year, total petroleum sales reached 8.2 million tonnes, up 2.0 per cent from 8.02 million tonnes in the same period last year. Excluding furnace oil (FO), sales in December were recorded at 1.29 million tonnes, up 5.0 per cent YoY but down 7.0 per cent MoM. Ex-FO sales during July–December totalled 8.0 million tonnes, reflecting a 4.0 per cent YoY increase.
In December, average motor spirit (MS) prices edged down to Rs263.45 per litre, while HSD prices declined by 3.0 per cent to Rs272.65 per litre from Rs281.44 per litre in November. MS sales rose 11 per cent YoY and 3.0 per cent MoM to 628,000 tonnes, whereas HSD sales fell 4.0 per cent YoY and 19 per cent MoM to 553,000 tonnes.
FO sales surged to 58,000 tonnes, up 40 per cent YoY and 130 per cent MoM. Attock Petroleum Limited posted sales of 103,000 tonnes, down 7.0 per cent YoY and 5.0 per cent MoM, while Pakistan State Oil recorded 535,000 tonnes in sales, reflecting declines of 7.0 per cent YoY and 17 per cent MoM.
Wafi Energy Pakistan Limited sold 104,000 tonnes, up 10 per cent YoY but down 7.0 per cent MoM, while Hascol’s sales rose to 47,000 tonnes, up 9.0 per cent YoY and 40 per cent MoM.
Analysts expect oil sales in FY26 to grow by 7–10 per cent. Meanwhile, the government has set a petroleum development levy collection target of Rs1.47 trillion for FY26, of which Rs739 billion, or 50 per cent, has already been collected in the first half of the fiscal year.
Story by Tanveer Malik
