While filling stations in Paris see long queues and ambulance services in parts of the United States quietly ration trips to save on diesel, Pakistan finds itself managing a global energy shock with more composure than many wealthier nations.

The scale of this crisis is sobering everywhere. Since the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran on February 28, 2026, and attacks by Ansar Allah (the Houthis) disrupted shipping routes, global oil markets have been thrown into turmoil. Petrol in Pakistan has climbed from around Rs253 per litre at the start of 2026 to above Rs390 today. That is steep by any measure. But a wider look tells a different story: this is a world problem, not a Pakistan problem, and Pakistan is handling it with a discipline that deserves recognition. In the United States, gasoline prices have jumped by nearly 50 percent since the Iran war began, with diesel touching record highs in several states. Emergency services have felt this directly, with ambulances in some regions cutting non-critical trips and police patrols shrinking simply to manage fuel budgets. France has fared no better, with diesel prices at record levels and roughly one in ten petrol stations facing shortages, a situation worsened by fishermen blockading oil terminals in protest. Germany has had to announce emergency fuel tax cuts. Nepal’s........

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