The prices of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) have increased by Rs. 10 to Rs. 130 per kg without any official notification from OGRA or any government authority.
Chairman of LPG Distribution Association (LDAP), Irfan Khokhar, said today that the prices of LPG have been increased unannounced. A price of a household cylinder has been increased to Rs. 2,750, an increase of Rs. 150, whereas prices of commercial cylinders surged by Rs. 450 to Rs. 10,438.
He said that the increase in the prices was without reason and the government must take action to control the prices. He warned that the prices would further increase in the upcoming 12 hours.
Irfan Khokhar further informed that prices in Gilgit are currently the highest in the country. LPG is being sold at Rs. 300 per kg in the region, and prices of household cylinders have surged to Rs. 3,600, he added. Furthermore, the price of a commercial cylinder has risen to Rs. 13,600, he informed.
The Chairman revealed that LPG is being black marketed for Rs. 30/40 per kg, Rs. 300/400 per household, and Rs. 1200/1400 per commercial cylinder in Islamabad. A commercial cylinder is being sold at Rs. 3,100 in Islamabad, he revealed.
The Chairman also said that the government was doing nothing to stop a loss of Rs. 60 billion due to the closure of the biggest LPG plant in the country. Further criticizing the current government for negligence, he said that if the government did not control the prices soon, the Association would go on a strike across the country and protest in front of the Ministry of Petroleum.
In this regard, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has directed the Chief Commissioner to control and monitor the LPG prices. The maximum price of LPG, issued by OGRA for July is Rs. 220 per kg, Rs. 2,600 per household cylinder, and Rs. 9,988 per commercial cylinder.
