Daily Times

LAHORE: Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Distributors Association Pakistan has called for a country-wide strike on September 5 and to stop the gas supply from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Karachi if their demands would not be accepted.

The Awami Rickshaw Union (ARU) will close the entry and exit points along with underpasses of the provincial metropolis tomorrow (Tuesday).

This was announced during a jointly held protest demonstration against LPG price-hike and local LPG producers in front of the Lahore Press Club, on Sunday. They also demanded Prime Minister Imran Khan and Petroleum & Natural Resources minister to take notice of their pressing issues.

The protest was held under the supervision of LPG Distributors Association Chairman Irfan Khokhar and ARU Chairman Majeed Ghauri. A large number of rickshaw drivers and LPG distributors gathered outside Shimla Hill and chanted slogans over the increase in price of LPG for the fourth time. They also held placards in their hands in favour of their demands.

Addressing the participants, LPG Distributors Association chairman aid that LPG local producer gas mafia has increased LPG prices for the fourth time after which poor rickshaw drivers were striving for their livelihood. He said that LPG prices have increased unfairly by Rs5/kg, Rs 60/domestic cylinder and Rs 240/commercial cylinder which is not acceptable to them. Local LPG producers become gas mafia, he added.

Irfan Khokhar further said that LPG consumer prices are as Lahore, Gujranwala and Gujrat at Rs 165/kg, Jhelum, Sahiwal, Faisalabad, Bahawalpur, Multan, Rahim Yar Khan, Rajanpur, Dera Ismail Khan, Karachi at Rs 150/kg, Swat, Sialkot at Rs 170/kg, Murree, Nathia Galli, Balakot at Rs 190/kg, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and in other northern areas at Rs 210/kg.

Majeed Ghauri also addressed the participants of the protest on the occasion. He demanded high authorities to bring back the rates of LPG to Rs 70 as per kg. He said that the rate of LPG at Rs 190 per kilogramme is not accepted. He has announced to close the Thokar Niaz Baig Chowk, Babu Sabu Interchange, underpasses especially located at Canal Road and other entry points of the city if the government would not accept their demands before tomorrow.

Protestors have demanded local producer price to revise the rates as per LPG policy 2016. LPG Distributors Association Pakistan demanded to resume Jamshoro Joint Venture Limited at all cost to get rid of the gap.

Published in Daily Times, August 27^th 2018.