- LPG has hit a record Rs500 per kg in Pakistan, the highest price in the country’s history
- The official government rate is only Rs304 per kg
- Supply shortages and high costs for distributors are the main reasons
- OGRA says it will act against dealers selling above the official rate
Millions of Pakistani households use LPG, which stands for Liquefied Petroleum Gas, for cooking and heating. It comes in the familiar gas cylinders used in homes across the country.
The price of this everyday necessity has now reached a record high of Rs500 per kilogram, the most expensive it has ever been in Pakistan’s history.
The problem is not just the price itself. The official rate set by OGRA, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority, is only Rs304 per kg. Consumers are being charged up to Rs200 above this notified rate, adding to the financial pressure during ongoing inflation.
Why Is This Happening?
Abdul Hadi Khan, Chairman of the LPG Distributors Association, said that the price hike to supply shortages in the market and rising procurement costs faced by distributors.
He added that OGRA and importers have failed to restrain overpricing, and their inaction is further worsening the crisis nationwide.
- In Muzaffargarh, LPG prices have reached Rs530 per kg.
- In Lahore, prices range between Rs450 and Rs470 per kg. It is an overcharge of up to Rs146 per kg above the notified rate.
Who Is Being Hit the Hardest
The burden falls heaviest on low-income families, daily wage workers, and small businesses. OGRA has warned that it will launch an operation against dealers and shopkeepers selling LPG above the official rate.
However, the LPG Distributors Association has already warned that prices could rise further by Rs90 to Rs100 per kg in the coming weeks, potentially pushing domestic cylinder prices up by as much as Rs1,000.
