LAHORE: The city district administration has failed to implement the Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority’s (Ogra) notified price for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), leaving the public at large at the mercy of the black marketers.

The situation has worsened fast with the people and the retailers protesting against the government for failing to control the sky-rocketing LPG price and implement the Ogra’s rate (Rs280 per kilogram).

“The government is treating us like rich people, who are least bothered about the price hike of gas, fruits, vegetables, wheat, rice, pulses etc. But we want to tell the government that we are poor and cannot afford the huge price of LPG, which has become essential for us when Sui gas, including regasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG), is available only during cooking hours,” deplored a consumer in a conversation with Dawn.

According to him, the disinterest towards bringing down the LPG price on the part of the government in general and the Lahore city district administration in particular has forced consumers to buy LPG at the rate of around Rs600 to Rs700 per kg.

A couple of days back, the LPG retailers, wholesalers and the consumers staged a protest demonstration, demanding that the government intervene and take action to ensure provision of LPG at the notified rate.

An LPG retailer quoting wholesale suppliers said the crisis is due to closure of the Iran border and meagre supplies through the sea route. Moreover, there are squeezed indigenous LPG supplies within the country. But on these pretexts, the wholesalers continue to increase prices, flouting the Ogra’s notified price, he said.

Talking to this reporter, an office-bearer of the LPG distributors association termed the city administration responsible for not implementing the notified LPG price.

“In fact, 30pc of LPG is produced locally and 70pc is imported. This entire business is in the hands of a few traders who use it to create a situation to increase prices and make a windfall. And if the government keeps an eye on them, everything will be on the right track,” he explained.

He said if there was any issue regarding import of LPG from abroad, the government could at least make efforts to ensure sale of locally produced LPG as per the notified price.

When contacted, a city district spokesperson said the administration’s main focus was on illegal decanting and not the price notified by Ogra. “Our teams, led by assistant commissioners, continue to raid the LPG retailers on a daily basis to stop illegal decanting.

“But it doesn’t mean that we are unaware of the high price of LPG,” he said, adding that the teams have also been entrusted with the task of launching a crackdown on those involved in the LPG price hike.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2026