The LPG price in Lahore has hit Rs570 per kg, as vendors charge more than double the official rate of Rs279. Residents of the city are struggling with the soaring cost of liquefied petroleum gas, adding to the financial pressure on households already grappling with rising living costs.
Consumers said some LPG vendors had suspended open sales following government action to control prices but continued selling the gas discreetly to customers willing to pay high rates. A resident, Muhammad Ali, criticised the government for failing to regulate LPG prices and ensure supplies at affordable rates.
Another citizen said the government had also failed to provide piped natural gas reliably, even in the provincial capital, forcing consumers to rely on alternative fuels for cooking and other household needs.
Why the LPG price in Lahore has doubled
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) has fixed the consumer price of LPG at Rs279 per kg for October, with the price of a domestic cylinder set at Rs3,350. The prevailing open-market rates reported by consumers and traders are substantially higher. At Rs570 per kg, a buyer pays more than double the official rate.
The price surge comes amid supply disruptions following the closure of key trading crossings between Pakistan and Iran. The Gabd-Rimdan and Taftan crossings were closed on October 17, disrupting LPG imports and contributing to shortages in the domestic market.
Pakistan relies on both domestic production and imports to meet its LPG requirements. Local production is estimated at 2,000 to 2,500 tonnes a day, while daily consumption stands at 4,000 to 4,500 tonnes. Demand typically rises to over 6,000 tonnes a day during peak winter, when households increasingly depend on LPG for cooking and heating.
The interruption has raised concerns about whether supplies will be sufficient to meet demand as temperatures fall. The Gabd-Rimdan crossing subsequently reopened for Pakistani exports of perishable items.
The LPG crisis in context
The Lahore price spike is the retail end of a supply chain problem Feature Pakistan has tracked for weeks. Our report on Pakistan boosting sea LPG imports amid land cuts covered the shift to sea imports after the land crossings closed. Our report on the Gabd border crossing reopening covered the partial restoration of cross-border trade.
The political response has also been visible. The PPP staged a protest rally in Lahore on Sunday against the LPG shortage and rising flour and fuel prices, warning of a sit-in outside the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines head office if gas outages continue. That protest and the Rs570 street price describe the same crisis from two sides: one in the streets, one at the shop counter.
The arithmetic of the shortage explains why the price has moved so fast. Domestic production covers roughly half of daily consumption, so any disruption to imports feeds straight into the retail market. Winter demand, which can pass 6,000 tonnes a day, will widen that gap further unless imports recover.
What happens next
Two things will decide whether Lahore’s LPG price falls back toward the official rate. The first is whether import flows through the reopened crossings and by sea return to normal volumes. The second is whether the government’s crackdown on overcharging reaches the vendors who have moved to discreet, high-price sales.
For now, households in Lahore face a simple and painful choice: pay more than double the official rate, or go without a fuel they need for cooking and heating. The official rate of Rs279 per kg exists on paper. The price that matters at the shop is Rs570.
Source reporting: The Express Tribune.
What is the official LPG price for October?
Ogra has fixed the consumer price of LPG at Rs279 per kg for October, with a domestic cylinder priced at Rs3,350.
How much are Lahore vendors charging?
Vendors in Lahore are selling LPG for as much as Rs570 per kg, more than double the official rate, according to consumers.
Why has the LPG price risen?
Supply disruptions followed the October 17 closure of the Gabd-Rimdan and Taftan crossings with Iran, cutting LPG imports, while winter demand is set to rise above 6,000 tonnes a day.
