A photo of an old, abandoned PSO (Pakistan State Oil) petrol pump has gone viral on social media, showing fuel prices that seem unbelievable today. The digital display on the pump board reads Altron Premium at Rs. 67.00 and another grade at Rs. 76.60, prices that millions of Pakistanis can only dream of now.
Historical records show that petrol prices in Pakistan hovered around Rs. 65 in early 2010, gradually climbing to Rs. 112.76 by early 2014. This means the viral pump photo most likely dates back to around 2010–2011, a time that many Pakistanis now look back on with great nostalgia.
Fast forward to today, and the contrast could not be more painful. The all-time highest petrol price in Pakistan was Rs. 458.41 per litre, recorded on April 3, 2026. Two PM cuts later, the current rate now stands at Rs. 366.58 per litre as of April 11, 2026.
The massive price hike in March 2026 was caused by the US–Israel war on Iran, which shut down the Strait of Hormuz and removed 20% of the world’s oil supply from global markets almost overnight.
The viral photo has sparked emotional reactions online, with many Pakistanis pointing out how rapidly the cost of living has changed. From Rs. 67 to over Rs. 366 in roughly 15 years, the journey tells the full story of Pakistan’s economic struggles, currency depreciation, global oil shocks, and heavy taxation that ordinary citizens continue to bear every single day.
