Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik to immediately travel to Karachi and negotiate with local oil refineries to secure a reduction in diesel prices and provide relief to consumers.

The prime minister issued the directive during a meeting with Malik, which was also attended by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Khan Cheema, Climate Change Minister Dr Musadik Malik and Member of the National Assembly Hamza Shehbaz. PM Shehbaz directed the petroleum minister to engage with local refineries and conclude negotiations as soon as possible, the PM Office said in a statement.

He said a major portion of diesel consumed in the country was produced by local refineries and called for measures to reduce prices and pass the benefit on to consumers. The premier stressed that immediate relief should be provided to the public to the maximum extent possible.

High-speed diesel is widely used in the transport sector, including goods carriers, buses and trains, as well as agricultural machinery such as tractors, tube wells and threshers. Its price therefore has a direct impact on transportation and agricultural costs, contributing to higher prices of vegetables and other food items.

The federal government's latest move comes amid growing public backlash over successive fuel price hikes and their impact on inflation. The pressure intensified after the government shifted from reviewing fuel prices every 15 days to a daily mechanism amid volatility in global oil prices following renewed hostilities in the Middle East.