A fresh shipment of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) on Thursday arrived in Pakistan amid global supply pressures triggered by the ongoing Gulf crisis, offering temporary relief to the country’s energy needs.
According to the 24NewsHD TV channel, a vessel named Aurora, carrying 2,590 metric tonnes of LPG from Tanzania, docked at Port Qasim. This marks the third LPG cargo to reach the country within the past 10 days.
A day earlier, another vessel carrying 37,000 metric tonnes of petrol from Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu port also arrived at Port Qasim, highlighting continued efforts to maintain fuel supplies despite disruptions.
However, concerns over the stability of LPG imports have intensified following recent actions by the Federal Investigation Agency, which faced strong criticism from industry stakeholders after conducting a raid on an LPG vessel.
Chairman of the LPG Distributors Association of Pakistan, Irfan Khokhar, said the move had created serious concern among dealers and importers, warning that it could deter future import orders.
He cautioned that the resulting uncertainty could worsen supply shortages and trigger a sharp increase in LPG prices, potentially pushing rates up to Rs500 per kilogram.
Khokhar noted that the country is already grappling with a shortage of natural gas and claimed that imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) have reportedly been suspended since March 14.
He urged the government to take immediate notice and avoid what he described as unnecessary interference that could disrupt LPG imports.
He also appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to intervene promptly, warning that failure to address the issue could leave many low-income households struggling to cook during the holy month of Ramadan due to rising prices and limited availability.
