LAHORE: LPG Distri­butors Association of Pakistan has expressed concerns over increase in the LPG price for the third time in last 10 days by marketing companies and has urged the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) to intervene into the matter and stop those planning to further increase the price before start of winter.

According to the association, the marketing companies on Monday increased the fuel’s price by Rs5 per kilogram to Rs50 and Rs200 per domestic and commercial cylinders respectively) across the country.

“The increase in LPG price has been made without approval of Ogra. Since this happened for the third time in the last 10 days, the authorities must take action to save poor masses from exploitation by the marketing companies,” said the association’s Chairman Irfan Khokhar in a statement on Monday.

He said though the government kept the LPG price at the lowest level by regulating the gas producing units, it couldn’t trickle down the benefit to the end users. Therefore, the government should immediately cancel the LPG quotas allocated to only 30-35 companies and distribute the same among all 132 marketing firms equally. And in the total allocated quotas should include 50 per cent of the imported LPG.

“After doing so, the government should decide the final price and ensure that all companies follow that,” Mr Khokhar added.

He demanded that CNG stations should be allowed to install LPG dispensers at their premises. The chairman said he would also raise the issue in a high profile meeting to be held at the ministry of petroleum and natural resources today.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2017