Consumers are facing a double burden as low gas pressure and load-shedding continue, while liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is being sold at significantly higher prices in the open market.
Despite the government setting the official LPG price at Rs279 per kilogram, retailers are reportedly selling the fuel for between Rs430 and Rs480 per kilogram, adding to the financial pressure on households.
Irfan Khokhar, chairman of the LPG Distributors Association, said LPG prices had reached an all-time high. He added that in mountainous areas, LPG was selling for as much as Rs600 per kilogram, with a domestic cylinder costing Rs7,200.
According to Khokhar, LPG prices in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had reached Rs500 per kilogram, while a household cylinder was being sold for around Rs6,000.
He said the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) had fixed the October price at Rs279 per kilogram and the price of a domestic cylinder at Rs3,350. He urged the government to use the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) terminal to help stabilise prices and immediately import LPG to improve supply and control the market.
Meanwhile, consumers have expressed frustration over the rising cost of living, saying they are already paying substantial utility bills but are still forced to purchase LPG at inflated rates because of inadequate natural gas supplies.
They said the financial burden was particularly difficult for middle-income households, which were struggling to cope with rising expenses. Consumers have called on the government to enforce official prices and take action against overcharging in the LPG market.
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