Islamabad
After back-t0-back three increases in oil prices within less than five weeks, the poor consumers are going to face another setback as Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has increased prices of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by Rs10.37 per kilogram (kg) for the month of February. The price of domestic 11.8-kg LPG cylinder has gone up by Rs122 and commercial cylinder by Rs471 following the recent hike in LPG prices. The domestic cylinder will be available now at Rs1,863 instead of Rs1,741, and commercial cylinder at Rs7,168 instead of Rs6,697.
The OGRA hiked LPG price by Rs 8870 per ton for LPG producers’ companies. The LPG price in the international market jumped up to $574 against $536 causing an increase in domestic prices of LPG. Chairman LPG Industries Association of Pakistan Irfan Khokhar in a statement said that the local production stood at 735,460 metric tons whereas industry imported 473,900 metric tons to meet local requirements during the year 2020.
Annoyed with the levy tax and high rates of other taxes, the LPG Industries Association of Pakistan Chairman Irfan Khokhar has demanded the government to waive these taxes to provide cheap LPG to the masses in the winter season. He stressed that the country is already facing a severe gas supply crisis as the shortfall has hit 9 million cubic feet. Khokhar regretfully said that insane policies and high number of taxes have put a negative impact on the LPG industry. The LPG distributors are paying over Rs6 billion in taxes.
He said that it is being anticipated that the government is looking forward to imposing the levy tax on LPG import from Taftan border, saying that such an illogical move would make the LPG dearer and far from the reach of the masses. Irfan Khokhar said that the entire country is facing a gas shortfall. He said that faulty policy and taxes have affected the LPG industry.—TLTP
