Pakistan is facing a severe shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) ahead of winter, with supplies through the Taftan border still suspended. In markets across the country, LPG is being sold at rates far above the official price, leaving households paying sharply more for cooking fuel.
In Quetta and other parts of Balochistan, LPG was selling for Rs530 to Rs700 per kilogram. In Karachi and Lahore, the rate was Rs520 to Rs580 per kilogram, with consumers in Lahore reporting that shops were charging Rs550 to Rs600 per kilogram. In Peshawar, the rate was Rs600 to Rs650 per kilogram. The official rate is Rs294 per kilogram.
Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik said uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz had affected oil and gas prices. He said gas supplies were arriving from Qatar, and he assured that supplies would be ample during December and January.
Ali Haider, Senior Vice President of the Pakistan LPG Marketers Association, said a summary on the LPG pricing policy had been sent to the prime minister. He said the proposed policy would make LPG 25 to 30 per cent more expensive, and that it had been formulated without consultation with stakeholders.
Marketers have previously warned of a strike from 16 November if the government implements the proposed policy.
