The federal, provincial and local and district governments as well as the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) remain unresponsive to pleas by a group of LPG marketing companies, representing 70 percent of the market share, to prevent profiteering and black-marketing by the distributors ahead of Eid holidays.
"The rates of LPG marketing companies are being advertised in the press and we are writing to the authorities, but distributors and retailers are continuing to make abnormally high profits at the expense of the consumers," said Fasih Ahmed, spokesman for the LPG marketing companies. "The maximum retail price should not exceed Rs 58/kg anywhere in the country, but the rate today in Lahore is Rs 74/kg," he said.
"Consumers must inform us and the government of instances of overcharging," said Ahmed, adding: "We will cancel agencies and take legal action against hoarders, profiteers and black marketers to protect our brand reputations," he said. "We have also implored Ogra to take action against LPG marketing companies charging more than the reasonable margin assessed by them," he said. However, action is being taken by anyone in the government hierarchy to the ultimate detriment of the consumer, he regretted.
Contrary to recent claims by some LPG distributors, production in the country is stable at 1,625 metric tonnes per day, according to figures from a Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Resources presentation to President Musharraf, dated December 13, 2007, he pointed out. "Efforts by LPG distributors, who represent investments of less than half a million rupees each, to pass the buck are regrettable and do not compensate for their own lack of scruples and ethics," said Ahmed.