Consumers forced to pay extra Rs 146/kg amid surge in demand
An employee checks empty LPG cylinders inside the Vidyarthi Bhavan restaurant, as restaurants and hotels in southern India, including the Bengaluru IT hub, have warned of closures amid disruptions to commercial LPG supplies, following the US-Israel conflict with Iran, in Bengaluru, India, March 10, 2026. Photo: Reuters
LAHORE:
Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices have risen far beyond the officially notified rate, with the product selling at over Rs 450 per kilogram in Lahore and other parts of the country, despite the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) fixing its price at Rs 304.28 per kg.
In several localities in Lahore, LPG is sold between Rs 450 and Rs 470 per kg, forcing consumers to pay up to Rs 146 per kg above the official price.
The LPG Distributors Association estimates that more than 6,000 metric tons of LPG are sold daily in the country, amplifying the scale of speculation.
However, retailers argue that they are not responsible for the price increase, alleging that LPG marketing companies are supplying the product at inflated prices.
A trader said he had bought LPG at Rs 443 per kg, and wondered how it could be sold at Rs 304, alleging that the authorities routinely target small suppliers and fail to act against big players who allegedly profit “with both hands”.
Meanwhile, the impact is being felt most acutely by ordinary citizens already struggling with rising inflation.
Rickshaw driver Usman Kashif said even basic survival had become difficult as declining ridership and low fares made it difficult to secure even a single meal a day.
