New Delhi, April 4 (IANS) Pakistani consumers are bearing almost half of petrol's retail cost in the form of government levies and industry profit margins, an internal government document has revealed, coming just a day after a massive increase in the prices of both petrol and diesel was announced, a report said. According to the Geo News report, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, speaking alongside Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb at a press briefing, announced a Rs 137.23-per-litre rise in petrol prices, pushing the retail rate to Rs 458.41 per litre.Moreover, high-speed diesel climbed even more steeply, up Rs 184.49 per litre to a new benchmark of Rs 520.35.

Both hikes were attributed to disruptions in the global oil supply chain stemming from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.The Ministry of Energy's pricing document lays bare a cost structure that places the ex-refinery price of petrol at Rs 247.15 per litre -- less than the Rs 211.26 per litre piled on through taxes and margins.Of that non-product portion, a petroleum levy alone accounts for Rs 160.61 per litre, followed by Rs 24.12 in customs duty and Rs 2.50 under the climate support levy.The inland freight margin adds another Rs 7.52, while oil marketing companies (OMCs) collect Rs 7.87 in profit and pump dealers retain an Rs 8.64 commission per litre.

The picture is markedly different for diesel consumers. The ex-refinery price of high-speed diesel stands at Rs 461.23 per litre, and, unlike petrol, diesel currently attracts no petroleum levy.In addition, combined taxes and margins on diesel total Rs 59.12 per litre -- 11.36 per cent of the retail price -- comprising Rs 35.74 in customs duty, Rs 4.37 for inland freight, Rs 7.87 in OMC profit, Rs 8.64 for dealers, and the Rs 2.50 climate levy.The disclosures have drawn fresh scrutiny to the government's fiscal strategy, with petrol's tax-and-margin share more than four times that of diesel, even as pump prices for both fuels reach record highs.

/IANS