Pakistan's petroleum minister, Ali Pervaiz Malik, has acknowledged the country's vulnerability to energy crises, revealing that Pakistan holds only 5-7 days of crude oil reserves, in stark contrast to India's 60-70 days of reserves. As global crude prices surge to $126 per barrel due to tensions in the Middle East, Malik highlighted that India can better absorb such shocks due to its financial strength and strategic reserves. In Pakistan, rising fuel prices have triggered widespread protests, with a recent 42.7% increase pushing petrol prices to PKR 458.41 per litre. Although Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reduced petrol prices by PKR 80 to PKR 378, public discontent persists due to ongoing supply pressures. Malik noted that Pakistan's commitments to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have restricted the government's flexibility in addressing these issues, leading to backchannel negotiations that successfully reduced fuel levies by 80 rupees per litre.