Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik to travel to Karachi immediately and hold talks with oil refineries to secure relief for consumers on fuel prices, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.

According to the PMO, at a meeting with the petroleum minister, the prime minister directed him to “immediately reach Karachi” and negotiate with local oil refineries.

PM Shehbaz said the petroleum minister should take steps to ensure a reduction in the prices of locally produced diesel.

The directive came as Pakistan faced mounting pressure over soaring petrol and high-speed diesel prices, following successive increases in recent days and a nationwide goods transporters’ strike that was only deferred after the government assured them that their grievances would be addressed.

The government had raised petrol and HSD prices by Rs3.34 and Rs5.27 per litre, respectively, for August 19, taking their prices to Rs334.54 and Rs395.69.

The latest increase followed hikes of Rs5.77 and Rs6.47 a day earlier, while the government had also increased petrol and diesel dealers’ margins by Rs1.34 per litre last week.

The All Pakistan Goods Transport Alliance had deferred a nine-day nationwide strike for 40 days on Sunday after talks with the federal and provincial governments, with fuel pricing among its key concerns.

Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami had launched nationwide protests demanding lower petrol prices and the withdrawal of the petroleum levy.

“Most of the diesel is produced by local refineries,” the prime minister said during the meeting, directing Malik to “personally complete negotiations with the refineries as soon as possible” to bring down prices.

“Provide immediate relief to the public to the maximum extent possible,” he said.

The meeting was also attended by Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar, Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Khan Cheema, Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik and National Assembly member Hamza Shehbaz.

Pakistan shifted to a daily fuel pricing mechanism on July 17, with prices based on a seven-day average of international market rates amid volatility in global oil prices following renewed conflict in the Middle East.

The move came as global oil prices remained sensitive to geopolitical developments, with Brent crude futures rising on Tuesday amid concerns over a prolonged conflict and disruptions to regional energy supplies.

Read: Govt bows to transporters after nine-day strike

The government had also increased petrol pump dealers’ margins by Rs1.34 per litre last week, raising the margin from Rs8.64 to Rs9.98 and adding to the pressure on retail fuel prices. The decision came after petrol pump owners threatened a nationwide strike over their demands, including a higher profit margin.

Transporters subsequently launched their own strike on August 8 over a range of grievances, including daily fuel price revisions, the petroleum levy, withholding tax, toll charges and axle-load regulations. After nine days, they agreed to defer the strike for 40 days following government assurances that their demands would be addressed.

The government currently levies Rs80 per litre on petrol and Rs78.30 on diesel, in addition to a Rs5 per litre climate support levy on both fuels. The petroleum ministry had previously proposed reducing the levy rate to Rs50 per litre to ease pressure on consumers, but the proposal had not been adopted.