LPG Prices Surge Far Above Official Rates

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is currently being sold in the open market at rates substantially exceeding the official pricing notified by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority, with retail prices surpassing Rs450 per kilogram across multiple urban centres.

In Lahore and other regions, LPG is being traded within a range of Rs450 to Rs470 per kg, in contrast to the regulated price of Rs304.28 per kg, resulting in an overcharge margin of up to Rs146 per kg.

Market estimates indicate that approximately 6,000 metric tonnes of LPG are consumed daily across Pakistan, reflecting the significant scale of divergence between notified and prevailing market prices.

Retail stakeholders have attributed the price escalation to increased procurement costs, asserting that LPG marketing companies are supplying the commodity at elevated rates. Consequently, vendors have indicated their inability to retail LPG at officially prescribed prices due to compressed margins.

From a consumer perspective, the sustained price increase has intensified financial strain amid ongoing inflationary pressures. Transport operators and daily wage earners, in particular, have reported growing difficulty in managing essential expenses due to rising fuel and cost-of-living burdens.