ISLAMABAD
Acting with sense of impunity, the marketing companies on Tuesday increased price of the Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) by Rs 5 per kg in three consecutive days.
“The marketing company nowadays on a looting spree, effecting unjustified raises in LPG on their free will, putting a challenge to the concerned authorities including the OGRA to come in action,” All Pakistan Distributors Association’s chairman Irfan Khokhar told APP.
The unscrupulous business forces have so far announced three raises in  LPG prices in three consecutive days, citing yawning demand and supply gape. Association’s chairman Irfan Khokhar said the price of domestic cylinder had been hiked up by Rs 50 and commercial cylinder by Rs 200. He said that association had convened a meeting on Wednesday to work out a future strategy for preventing LPG black marketing and to urge the the government for taking action against these unethical business elements in the LPG sector, who were fleecing the poor masses through unjustified raises. Terming the series of raise as illegal, he said neither any official notification had been issued, nor the public sector LPG producer such as Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC), PSO and PARCO had increased the price.
He said they would stage sit-in outside the OGRA office, if no action was taken against the cartelization practices in the LPG market. “Everywhere in the world, the prices of commodities are reduced at the time of religious festivals, but here, we see otherwise. The government needs to take notice and ensure LPG prices at affordable level for the month of Ramzan,” Irfan Khokhar said.

He dispelled the impression regarding shortage of LPG, saying there was adequate stock available for masses’ requirements and any raise in its price would be unfair and unjustified.   He said the LPG producer’ price had been stable at Rs 74687 per ton, which translated one kilogram price at Rs 75 for the last six months, but the marketing companies were charging far above the prescribed rates, he added. Given the verified calculations, he said masses should have one  Kilogram of LPG at Rs 100 and domestic cylinder at Rs 1150, but unfortunately, he said, profiteers were earning Rs 30 to 40 in one Kilogram.