Islamabad: Starting July 1, 2025, Pakistani citizens are expected to face the highest-ever petroleum levy burden in the country's history as the new fiscal year 2025–26 begins, according to a report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The IMF report estimates that petroleum levy collections for the upcoming fiscal year will reach a staggering Rs. 1,311 billion — Rs. 194 billion more than the Rs. 1,117 billion projected for the current fiscal year ending June 30, 2025.
Currently, the public is already grappling with the steadily increasing burden of petroleum levies. However, the anticipated figures for the next fiscal year suggest a historic high in the amount collected from citizens under this head.
Between July 2024 and March 2025 — the first nine months of the ongoing fiscal year 2024–25 — petroleum levy collections have already totaled Rs. 833.847 billion.
For context, the previous fiscal year 2023–24 saw petroleum levy collections of Rs. 1,019 billion, while in 2022–23 the figure stood at Rs. 580 billion — highlighting a steep year-on-year rise.
As of now, the government is charging a levy of Rs. 78.02 per liter on petrol and Rs. 77.01 per liter on high-speed diesel.
This continued increase, driven largely by commitments under IMF programs, is expected to intensify the economic strain on the average citizen as energy costs climb further in the new fiscal year.
