The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has increased the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) on Tuesday.
OGRA issued a notification stating that the LPG price has been raised by Rs78.28 per kilogram.
Following this increase, the new price of LPG is set at Rs304.12 per kilogram. According to the notification, the new prices will take effect from April 1.
Increase in LPG prices
Previously, reports had warned that domestic cylinder prices could rise by up to Rs1,000.
The rise is linked to uncertainty in the Middle East, which has pushed global LPG prices higher.
The LPG Distributors Association said the price per kilogram could increase by Rs90 to Rs100, bringing the per kilo cost close to Rs500.
They added that the price of a domestic cylinder may rise by up to Rs1,000, while commercial cylinder prices could reach Rs4,500.
Blow to LPG consumers in Karachi
Before this, the price of LPG had surged in Karachi as well.
It rose from Rs350 to Rs380 per kilogram, adding to the financial burden on consumers already grappling with inflation.
According to Ali Haider, Convener of the LPG Committee, the price increase cannot be attributed solely to shopkeepers.
He stated that LPG marketing companies and distributors are also playing a significant role in the hike, according to media reports.
LPG prices go up in Pakistan
Prior to this increase, according to Ali Haider, spokesperson for the Marketing Association, the retail price of LPG has jumped from Rs250 per kilogram to between Rs320 and Rs350 per kilogram in various markets.
The association said the increase comes during the ongoing supply shortages, which began following the conflict involving Iran and have continued to disrupt regional energy supplies.
Officials from the Marketing Association have urged the government to arrange LPG imports from Russia or Oman in order to stabilise prices and ease the shortage in the domestic market.
