Both Ogra and provincial administrations have failed to ensure sale of LPG at official rates.

ISLAMABAD  -  While Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority is confined to is­suance of statements only as usual, the LPG mafia is busy in minting money and is selling the commodity at up to Rs400 kilogram across the country.

Both the Oil and Gas Regula­tory Authority and the provin­cial administrations have failed to ensure the sale of the LPG at the official rates and LPG is be­ing sold at Rs300 to Rs400 per kilogram across the country. 

In the hilly area (Gilgit-Baltis­tan) and remote areas of the country, the commodity is be­ing sold at Rs 400 per kilogram, higher than Ogra determined price of Rs 257 per kilogram. While in cities, it is being sold at up to 25 percent or Rs 63 per ki­logram higher than the Ogra an­nounced LPG rates, at Rs 300 to 320 per kg. In a letter addressed to Prime Minister of Pakistan Shahbaz Sharif, Chairman LPG Industries Association of Paki­stan, Irfan Khokhar has said that LPG mafia is busy in extort­ing billions of rupees illegally from the consumers; pockets. During the previous eight days, mafia has illegally extorted Rs 1.44 billion from the LPG con­sumers, chairman LPG associa­tion alleged in the letter to PM. He said that while Asia’s largest LPG plant JJVL is closed, con­sumers are at the mercy of LPG importers. The LPG importers have resorted to black market­ing of the commodity. He also that inaction will lead to further boost in the prices and warned that it could touch Rs 400 per kilogram in the provinces. LPG is not available anywhere in the country at official rates, he said and added that black marketing of LPG can be controlled by in­creasing local production.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) said that the regulator has taken no­tice of the market reports re­garding a surge in LPG prices even though ample stocks of LPG molecules are sufficiently available in the country. Ap­parently, an initial scrutiny of the matter reveals that hoard­ing of LPG stocks is the pri­mary cause of the artificial in­crease in LPG prices and some unscrupulous elements are ar­tificially restraining the stock from consumers approach and are selling the product beyond OGRA prescribed LPG prices.

In this context, OGRA has communicated to the Provin­cial Chief Secretaries to direct the local governments for tak­ing immediate necessary ac­tion against illegal hoarders and ensure the sale of LPG on OGRA prescribed prices to the end consumers. Further, Min­istry of Energy, Petroleum Di­vision has also issued letters to the Chief Secretaries for ap­propriate actions. Additionally, OGRA enforcement teams are already in the field to monitor the stocks and ensure sale of LPG on prescribed prices.