LAHORE: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) staged a protest rally here on Sunday against the shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and rising flour and fuel prices, with party leaders warning of a sit-in outside the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd’s head office if gas outages continue.

Addressing the rally, PPP Lahore President Faisal Mir said the public could not be left at the mercy of inflation and illegal profiteers. He accused sellers of creating an artificial LPG shortage to sell fuel at arbitrary prices, calling the practice tantamount to robbing the people. Blaming the SNGPL for poor planning, he said gas outages were adding hardships for the citizens.Mr Mir said the government was placing a further financial burden on the public by raising petrol prices, while inflation had made life difficult for working and the salaried classes. He demanded an uninterrupted LPG supply, prices set in line with the public’s purchasing power and relief for domestic consumers.

Expressing concern at the authorities’ actions, the PPP leader said small shopkeepers were being targeted instead of big hoarders.

He urged the government to take action without discrimination against the LPG mafia, hoarders and illegal profiteers, and ensure an uninterrupted gas supply at full pressure.

Other party leaders present included Majeed Ghori, Amir Naseer Butt, Afraz Naqvi, Waris Joiya, Anisa Bano and Abbas Shah.

Mr Ghori described the artificial shortage and arbitrary pricing as sheer injustice to the working class, adding that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) would continue to raise its voice at every forum to protect the rights of the people.

Mir said the party would stage a protest and sit-in in front of the SNGPL head office if load-shedding does not end.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2026