Pakistan, Sept. 21 -- Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik issued a stark warning on Sunday that petrol prices could reach Rs1,000 per litre if a fuel shortage emerged in the country, as global oil prices continued to surge amid renewed hostilities in the Middle East and Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.

Speaking to journalists in Lahore, Malik said petroleum prices had already risen by 50% in Pakistan, with prices in Europe and the United States also climbing sharply.

He said Houthi attacks were unacceptable and that the government was providing relief to vulnerable segments of society to cushion the impact of rising fuel costs.

On the energy front, the minister said work had begun on oil wells and the government expected to discover do...