LPG Prices Fall in Karachi, Remain High in Other Cities
KARACHI: Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices have declined in Karachi following the arrival of two LPG vessels from Oman, but consumers in other parts of the country continue to pay higher rates despite expectations of a nationwide price reduction.
The retail price of LPG in Karachi has dropped by up to Rs50 per kilogram, bringing the rate to around Rs500 per kilogram across the city.
Last week, approximately 11,500 tonnes of LPG were imported by sea from Oman and Bahrain. Although Iranian LPG is still not being supplied to the local market, reports of the reopening of the border and the resumption of trade have also contributed to easing prices.
In contrast, LPG continues to sell for between Rs550 and Rs575 per kilogram in Lahore and other parts of Punjab, with no significant reduction reported despite the reopening of LPG shops.
According to a spokesperson for LPG distributors, Mian Ajmal, chairman of the LPG Distributors Association Punjab, has been granted bail. He was reportedly detained by the Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority (PERA) a day earlier, and a case was registered against him.
Shopkeepers said they would reduce prices when LPG became available to them at lower rates. They alleged that PERA personnel were visiting their shops and forcibly confiscating their gas pumps, adding that these actions had contributed to the traders’ strike.
The shopkeepers also complained that authorities were not taking adequate action against LPG plant operators and what they described as an LPG mafia, alleging that enforcement measures were disproportionately affecting retailers.
In Quetta, LPG prices have fallen by Rs30 per kilogram, bringing the rate down to Rs520 per kilogram.
Two LPG vessels from Oman had anchored at Pakistani ports a day earlier, raising hopes of improved supplies and further price reductions. However, the impact of the imports has so far varied across cities, with Karachi recording a decline while prices remain elevated in Punjab and other areas.
