Pakistan ensures fuel availability through ‘most of’ April amid improving external indicators
- Schehzad says strengthening macro fundamentals is helping build buffers and a stronger foundation to face future challenges
Advisor to the Finance Minister Khurram Schehzad said on Tuesday that despite ongoing external and regional challenges, Pakistan had secured energy supplies “through March and most of April”, improving fuel stock levels and ensuring smooth operations with conservation and austerity measures in place.
In a post on X, Schehzad said that Pakistan posted its largest current account surplus of $427 million in February 2026, the highest since March 2025, while Foreign Direct Investment increased 24% month-on-month, signalling renewed investor confidence.
“IT and tech exports reached $365 million in Feb-26, up 19% YoY, taking total exports to around $3 billion in 8MFY26, up 20% YoY,” the advisor said.
He further said that remittances grew 5% MoM and are up 11% YoY in 8MFY26, continuing to support the external account.
“Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves are at a four-year high with improved import coverage, strengthening external buffers.
Meanwhile, large-scale manufacturing recorded double-digit growth in Jan-26 at around 12% MoM and 11% YoY, with cumulative growth near 6% in 7MFY26, indicating a pickup in industrial activity,” Schehzad said.
The post further said that global oil prices have softened, with Brent near $102 and WTI near $95 per barrel, while futures remain in backwardation, suggesting expectations of a decline toward the $60 range, which could help ease Pakistan’s import bill going forward.
“Despite external and regional challenges, strengthening macro fundamentals is helping build buffers and a stronger foundation to face future challenges with greater resilience,” he said.
Earlier, the government said that the country has fuel reserves sufficient for 27 days and high-speed diesel (HSD) stocks adequate for 21 days to meet domestic demand.
Petroleum Secretary Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh revealed this while briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum.
READ MORE: Fuel prices unchanged for week despite global oil spike
Jet fuel (JP1) reserves are available for 14 days, crude oil reserves for 11 days, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) reserves for nine days. In addition, the import of oil of quality below the Euro 5 standard had now been permitted, he maintained.
He further said that the price of HSD has increased from USD 88 to USD 187, and the price of petrol has increased from USD 74 to USD 130 since the war started in the Middle East.
Comments