PESHAWAR: The liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) crisis has intensified across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other parts of Pakistan, with prices soaring to Rs600 per kilogram in Peshawar and as high as Rs750 per kilogram in northern areas, putting additional financial pressure on households.
According to reports, the shortage of LPG has triggered a continuous rise in prices, with the cost of a gas cylinder exceeding Rs10,000 in some markets.
The supply situation has reportedly worsened following heightened tensions between Iran and the United States, which have been linked to a decline in LPG supplies and a subsequent increase in cylinder prices.
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has set the official LPG price for October at Rs279.34 per kilogram. However, the fuel is reportedly being sold in the open market at rates ranging from Rs550 to Rs600 per kilogram, significantly above the notified price.
Consumers have expressed concern over the authorities’ failure to control prices and ensure adequate supplies.
The rising cost of LPG has hit low-income households particularly hard. Residents of Peshawar’s outskirts and rural areas have also reported inadequate supplies of natural gas, forcing many families to turn to firewood for cooking and other domestic needs.
However, the growing demand for firewood has also pushed up its prices.
A 40-kilogram unit of firewood, previously available for Rs1,400 to Rs1,600, is now reportedly selling for Rs1,600 to Rs1,800, representing an increase of Rs200 to Rs300.
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