Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices have surged well beyond the government-notified rate, with consumers across Lahore and several other cities forced to buy the fuel at sharply inflated prices.
Although the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has fixed LPG at Rs304.28 per kilogram, market rates have climbed to between Rs450 and Rs470 per kg in many localities, pushing prices nearly Rs146 above the official ceiling.
Industry estimates shared by the LPG Distributors Association suggest that more than 6,000 metric tonnes of LPG are sold daily nationwide, meaning the impact of overpricing is being felt on a massive scale.
Retailers deny responsibility for the surge, arguing that LPG marketing companies are supplying cylinders at already elevated wholesale rates. A local shopkeeper said he purchased LPG at Rs443 per kg, questioning how small vendors could comply with the official price while absorbing heavy losses. He alleged that enforcement actions often focus on smaller sellers, while major players escape scrutiny.
For ordinary citizens, the price shock is deepening financial stress amid rising inflation. Rickshaw driver Usman Kashif said reduced passenger demand and low fares have made it increasingly difficult to afford basic necessities, adding that even cooking fuel has become unaffordable for many working households.
The widening gap between regulated prices and actual market rates has renewed concerns over weak enforcement and growing dysfunction within Pakistan’s LPG supply chain.
