Atif Ikram Sheikh, President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), has called for the formulation of a new and comprehensive law for the Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) to better align with the current realities of Pakistan’s LPG supply chain. Sheikh emphasized the need for a regulatory environment that is fair, facilitative, and enables effective oversight of all stakeholders, from suppliers to consumers. He pointed out that the existing OGRA law does not cover retailers, creating significant safety hazards at the retail level, where many accidents occur. To address this, he suggested that distributors be legally bound to provide supply data to retail outlets. “We need to bring all players in the industry under the law, requiring them to obtain proper licenses and adhere to national LPG regulations,” Sheikh stated. In a meeting, Masroor Khan, Chairman of OGRA, and Syed Hassan Ali Naqvi, Commissioner of Karachi, visited the FPCCI Head Office in Karachi to discuss critical issues surrounding the LPG sector. These include enforcing supply chain regulations, pricing, storage standards, quality control, and health and safety protocols. Sheikh highlighted that this was the third such meeting with OGRA Chairman Khan in 2024, underscoring the importance of addressing these challenges. He urged OGRA to clamp down on unregulated and unlicensed players in the LPG industry, which he warned were endangering both consumers and businesses. He also advocated for stricter regulations on LPG filling stations and shops, alongside standardized quality assurance for LPG cylinders to ensure public safety and industry integrity.
