Pak’s oil crisis vs India’s stability

Kiyosaki exposes deep divide

Washington: US entrepreneur and author Robert Kiyosaki on Facebook highlighted the contrasting economic fortunes of India and Pakistan. Kiyosaki pointed to recent admissions by Petrol­e­um Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, who revealed Pakistan lacks even a day’s worth of oil reserves. It is in sharp contrast to Malik’s earlier claims that Pakistan’s energy position was “secure” and stronger than India’s.

Following disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, Pakistan’s fuel prices skyrocketed in early April 2026. Petrol rose 43% to PKR458/ltr, while diesel surged 55% to PKR520. Even on Thursday, Pakistan raised the price of high-speed diesel by PKR19.39/ltr and of petrol by PKR6.51 for a week. Petroleum division said price of HSD has been raised from 380.19 to 399.58 while petrol will be sold at 399.86/ltr compared to previous 393.35.

Meanwhile, the opposition labelled the situation a national emergency, noting the country’s limited foreign exchange and IMF constraints left no room for error.

Across the border, India maintained “quiet stability”. Despite crude prices climbing above $120 per barrel, petrol and diesel rates in major Indian cities remained largely unchanged. Kiyosaki credited India’s strategic petroleum reserves, which provide enough fuel for 60-70 days when combined with commercial stocks. India also diversified its supply by leaning on Russia and resuming shipments from Venezuela in 2026. As a global refining hub, India was able to absorb the shock internally while adjusting export duties to protect domestic consumers.

When Malik said, “We are not India,” Kiyosaki observed the minister was right, though perhaps unintentionally. 

While India built a cushion against global volatility, Pakistan remained reliant on vulnerable imports with no strategic backup. Although Pakistan government has now set up a task force to explore building reserves, Kiyosaki’s analysis suggests the global conflict did not create this disparity; it merely exposed years of under-preparedness.