Pakistan, July 20 -- Pakistan's annual petroleum import bill has surpassed the estimate made by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a sharp increase in global oil prices, driven by tensions in the Middle East, raised the country's energy import costs.

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According to official documents, Pakistan's oil import bill reached $16.86 billion during the fiscal year 2025-26, exceeding the IMF's previous projection by $1.58 billion. The IMF had estimated Pakistan's oil import cost at around $15.28 billion for the same period.

The increase came as international crude oil markets experienced significant volatility due to geopolitical tensions, particularly instabi...