On Thursday, Pakistan's government announced a significant increase in fuel prices, raising diesel by 54.9% to 520.35 rupees ($1.88) per litre and petrol by 42.7% to 458.40 rupees per litre. This marks the second hike within a month, driven by soaring international oil prices due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia, particularly the Iran war. Pakistan's Petroleum Minister, Ali Pervaiz Malik, stated that the price adjustments were unavoidable given the circumstances. The previous increase earlier this month was around 20%. The latest hikes are expected to worsen inflation and impact low-income families, with citizens expressing concern over the rising costs of living. One citizen highlighted the struggles of families dependent on low incomes, emphasizing that their earnings are now largely consumed by fuel costs. To alleviate some pressure, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb announced targeted subsidies for small farmers, motorcyclists, and transport services, although he noted that broad-based relief is no longer feasible. The government has already allocated 129 billion rupees in subsidies in recent weeks, but sustaining such support is challenging amid limited resources and ongoing global market volatility, with US oil prices rising by over 11% and Brent crude by 7% following indications of potential military escalation.