LAHORE/PESHAWAR – The consumers across Pakistan are struggling with sharply rising liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices as supply disruptions push rates to Rs750 per kilogram in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with some cylinder prices exceeding Rs10,000.
The situation has worsened over the past five to six days following a decline in LPG supplies, which officials have linked to the closure of the Taftan border amid tensions involving Iran and the United States.
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has yet to initiate a planned crackdown on companies and retailers accused of overcharging consumers. Authorities are reportedly concerned that enforcement measures could provoke protests or strikes, further disrupt supplies and deepen the ongoing energy crisis.
Although OGRA has set the official LPG price at Rs279.34 per kilogram for the current month, consumers in several areas are reportedly paying between Rs550 and Rs600 per kilogram. In Peshawar, the commodity is selling for around Rs600 per kilogram, while prices in northern areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have climbed to Rs750.
A senior OGRA official said Pakistan relies on imports for approximately 70 per cent of its LPG requirements, with domestic production accounting for the remaining 30 per cent.
An OGRA spokesperson said the authority was working to resolve the situation. The spokesperson acknowledged that the closure of the Taftan border had created supply difficulties but expressed hope that the problem would be brought under control soon.
The price escalation has particularly affected low-income households in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where shortages of natural gas have compounded the problem. Residents in rural areas and the outskirts of Peshawar have increasingly turned to firewood for cooking as LPG and piped gas become harder to obtain.
However, the shift has also raised firewood prices by Rs200 to Rs300 per maund. Previously sold for Rs1,400 to Rs1,600 per maund, firewood now costs between Rs1,600 and Rs1,800, adding to the financial burden on households already facing rising fuel expenses.
Consumers remain vulnerable to further price increases if supply disruptions continue and regulatory intervention fails to stabilise the market.