Karachi, April 3 -- With the conflict in West Asia and the Gulf region impacting energy supplies, common people in Pakistan are facing the brunt of the fuel crisis. Residents of Karachi have expressed strong anger after the government sharply increased fuel prices, pushing petrol to a record PKR 458.40 per litre and diesel to PKR 520.35 per litre, effective April 3, 2026.

Long queues were seen at petrol stations across the city, as people rushed to fill their tanks amid fears of further price hikes.

Many residents said the sudden increase has placed an unbearable burden on daily wage earners. "Earlier, prices were raised by around PKR 55, and now there's another steep hike of PKR 137. It's becoming impossible to manage household expense...