Pakistan In Focus - POL sales hit 2-year high.

The sales of petroleum oil products in Pakistan hit two-year high level of 1.7 million tons in October with high speed diesel (HSD) leading the rally from the front.

The overall sales increased 11 percent to 1.7 million tons in October compared to 1.52 million tons in September.

The growth in the sales may be attributed to revival of economic activities as large scale manufacturing sector ie fertiliser, cement and steel are showing gradual growth in production over the past couple of months.

The growth in overall sales is "backed by a sharp 43 percent sequential (month-on-month) increase in high speed diesel demand," JS Research analyst Ali Zaidi said in a commentary.

Diesel sales stood at 0.67 million tons in October compared to 0.47 million tons in September. Diesel is mostly used by the commercial transport sector and partially by the agriculture sector. However, source of growth in the fuel remained unknown.

The sales of the fuel (HSD) had stood around current levels - 0.65 million tons - in the same month of the last year as well, according to oil sales numbers for October 2019.

Besides, the sales of petrol improved 7 percent to 0.69 million tons in October compared to 0.64 million in September. The fuel is...