LPG dealers take full advantage of gas shortage

Rawalpindi: The Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) dealers have created an artificial shortage to loot public with both hands and selling commodity in ‘black’ at Rs.180 to Rs.200 per kilogram in retail shops. The residents of Rawalpindi have been forced to buy LPG on higher rates due to loadshedding of gas in the city and cantonment board areas.

In absence of natural gas even for domestic use, poor public was wandering here and there in search of different sources of fire like LPG, firewood and kerosene oil. The woodcutters have also increased prices of dry woods and are selling 40-kilogram wood at Rs650 against Rs550.

Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) Rashid Hafeez has strongly condemned SNGPL for not providing natural gas to public. “How public could survive without gas in peak winter season,” he denounced.

Rawalpindi LPG Dealers Association (General Secretary) Muhammad Farhan Shaikh told ‘The News’ that they were facing shortage of LPG therefore retailers were selling the commodity on skyrocketing prices. Majority of ‘gas plants’ have refused to provide LPG to retailers for some days, he claimed. The ‘gas plant’ owners are demanding double prices to provide gas therefore retailers are selling gas in double prices as well, he said.

The city district government, Rawalpindi seems to have a soft corner for LPG dealers who are looting helpless public with both hands since arrival of winter. They are selling 1-kilogram LPG at Rs180-Rs200 openly against fixed rate of Rs120 but concerned government officers are yet to register even a single FIR against them in this regard. The rate of LPG has almost doubled in a month as 1-kilogram of the commodity was easily available at Rs75-Rs80 but now it is selling at Rs180-Rs200.

Reportedly, people belonging to lower and middle segment of society are looking for cheaper second hand cylinders. These second hand cylinders are cheaper in price but also dangerous.

After rain, gas pressure in most localities of Rawalpindi and adjoining rural areas was zero which irked citizens day and night. The worst affected areas included Chakra, Morgha, Adiala Road, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed, Soan, Gulistan Colony, Naik Alam, Mohanpura, Waris Khan, Bangash Colony, Fauji Colony, Chungi No.22, Lalazar, Dheri, Tali Mori, Tanch Bhatta, Sadiqabad, Muslim Town,

Dhoke Kala Khan, Millat Colony, Bakra Mandi, Dhoke Syedan, Amar Pura, Shah Khalid Colony, Tipu Road, Raheemabad, Nadeem Colony, Chamanzar, Dhoke Ratta, Dhoke Mangtaal, Mukha Singh Estate, Kotha Kalan, Scheme No-III, Garibabad, Dhoke Kashmirian, Qasim Market, Range Road, Jhanda Chichi, Tehmaspabad, Pirwadhai and areas inside the cantonment. The LPG sellers particularly are looting consumers in these affected localities and selling commodity in double rates.

The Assistant Commissioner (Rawalpindi) Ahmed Hasan Ranja said that they were registering FIRs and imposing fines against LPG dealers for selling the commodity on higher prices. “We have formed special monitoring teams to check profiteers. We will not spare profiteers at any cost,” he warned.