LPG sold at nearly double OGRA's official price in major cities
LPG is being sold in several Pakistani cities at rates far above the official price fixed by OGRA. Reports put the official November price at Rs294 per kilogram, while market rates range from Rs520 to Rs650.
- OGRA's official LPG price for November is Rs294 per kilogram.
- Market rates reported run from Rs530 in Karachi to Rs650 in Sargodha.
- Households and commercial users are both affected.
Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is being sold at rates well above the official price in several major Pakistani cities, according to Minute Mirror, Daily Jang and Daily Pakistan Urdu. The cities named include Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Quetta, Ghotki and Sargodha.
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has fixed the official LPG price at Rs294 per kilogram for November. Daily Pakistan Urdu said the official price in different cities lies between roughly Rs294 and Rs360, while the market price is Rs520 to Rs600 per kilogram.
Minute Mirror gave city-wise figures. In Karachi, LPG is selling at Rs530 to Rs570 per kilogram. In Lahore, Multan and Ghotki, prices have reached Rs600 per kilogram. In Sargodha, the rate is Rs610 to Rs650 per kilogram.
Minute Mirror said consumers in different cities are being forced to pay almost double the government-approved price. Daily Jang reported that sales at roughly twice the official rate continued on Sunday, 9 November, and criticised the government for failing to rein in the sellers.
Daily Pakistan Urdu reported from Lahore that LPG is not available at official rates across Punjab, and that different areas of the city charge different prices. It said the unofficial increases began as winter set in, and it reported a rate of Rs550 per kilogram in Punjab.
The higher prices have raised operating costs for commercial users, Minute Mirror said. Households that depend on LPG for cooking and other daily needs are worried about the gap between official and market prices.
Minute Mirror added that the rise comes while electricity bills and petrol prices are already straining household budgets.
Background
khabr.pk reported on 2 November that LPG was not available at official rates across the country, with shopkeepers saying the cost of seized pumps was being passed on to consumers. On 9 November it reported that an LPG traders' association called off a planned 16 November strike after talks with Sindh Governor Nehal Hashmi.
Why it matters for Pakistan
Households that use LPG for cooking face bills far above what the official price suggests. In Karachi, a kilogram costing Rs530 to Rs570 is against an official Rs294. Commercial users such as small eateries report higher operating costs. The gap comes as winter begins, when, according to Daily Pakistan Urdu, unofficial increases usually start.
