ISLAMABAD Despite falling LPG prices in the international market, the LPG marketing companies, without seeking any notification from the authorities concerned, have jacked up the prices of the product by Rs 5 per kilogram. LPG marketing companies, gearing up efforts to maximize benefits at the cost of poor consumers of remote areas of the country, backed by LPG mogul, by creating artificial shortage, have increased the prices of LPG fourth time within fifteen days. Conversely, the LPG price observed reduction up to $105 per metric ton in international market on 3rd June, sources said, adding that 'LPG mafia, prior to the holy month of Ramzan, is all set to create artificial shortage of the product only to ensure hefty profits. The LPG Distributors Association on Tuesday demanded of the government to use influence on the LPG marketing companies for not announcing increase in the prices and bound the local producers to produce LPG as per countrys demand. The Association demanded of the government to revise LPG Production and Distribution Policy for publics benefits. Economic pundits shared with this scribe that the people, who are already groaning from energy outages coupled with double-digit inflation (around 14pc), are likely to experience yet another increase in prices of LPG, which is mostly consumed in far-flung areas. According to LPG Distributors Association, the new prices of LPG in different cities have jumped by up to Rs5 per kg, resulting in raising the price of domestic cylinder by up to Rs 60 and commercial cylinder by up to Rs240. Similarly, domestic cylinder price rose from Rs1,150 to Rs1210 in Lahore, Gujrat, Gujranwala and Sialkot. In Dera Gazi Khan, Jhang, Multan, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur Faisalabad, Dera Ismail Khan, Sadiqabad, Hyderabad, Kashmore and Sargodha, the price of domestic cylinder has been increased from Rs1,270 to Rs1,330, while in Murree, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Abbotabad, the price of domestic cylinder has jumped up from Rs1,390 to Rs 1,450. In Bagh, Muzaffarabad, FATA, Haripur, Hazara and Azad Kashmir, the price of domestic cylinder has been increased from Rs1,510 to Rs 1,570 and in Karachi after this self-initiative of LPG marketing companies, the price of domestic cylinder has reached Rs1,090 from Rs1,030 and in Peshawar the price of domestic cylinder has been jacked up to Rs1,270 from Rs1,210. The unjustified increase by producers in LPG prices would badly affect the economy of poor consumers already facing miseries due to double-digit inflation. In these circumstances if the authority concerned remained silent and did not intervene to protect the poor consumers of the country then these LPG marketing companies would certainly feel that they are free to do anything, said Chairman All Pakistan LPG Distributors Association Muhammad Irfan Kokhar while taking to TheNation. We beg to fix responsibility of irregularities in the LPG market as LPG marketing companies backed by LPG mogul, failing to learn from past lessons, have created cartels though Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has imposed penalties worth millions, Irfan added. Analysts said that presently LPG import is zero as this 'mafia has forced the importer to take escape from the countrys market by artificially decreasing the LPG prices in the country most often. Ironically, more than ninety LPG companies are registered in the country to provide LPG to the consumers but unfortunately around 30 companies have locally produced gas while remaining more than 50 companies are worried where to get gas in the presence of cartels in countrys market. They were of the view that commuters would suffer, when LPG rickshaw and taxis would demand higher fares. Besides, bakeries, confectionaries, shops and hotel owners using LPG would push up their rates. The government should ask the LPG producers to locally produce around 1300 tons per day to meet countrys demand, which at present has fallen to 800 tons. Further, to end the monopoly of LPG producers in market, marketing companies should be given allocations to end artificial price hike and shortage in the country.