Ogra, Petroleum Division flag LPG pricing distortions as policy revision remains pending

Officials at the Petroleum Division and the regulator Ogra have pinpointed shortcomings in how LPG is priced, a problem that has skewed the market and opened wide differences between notified and actual rates, according to The Express Tribune. Ogra blamed the gap largely on import parity being left out of the calculation, while the National Price Monitoring Committee heard that policy revisions have been pending since 2023.

The Petroleum Division told the committee that the framework was built for domestic producers before being extended to importers, creating distortions and pricing anomalies. The imbalance was most visible near the Iranian border, where LPG cost Rs330 a kilogramme in Gwadar and Rs350 a kilogramme in Turbat, even though Ogra's notified price was much lower. The committee then asked the petroleum minister, working with Ogra, to tackle the mismatch between official notified figures and prevailing market rates.

The committee also reviewed tests by the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) on edible oil, ghee and milk, finding elevated trans fats, peroxide levels and free fatty acids in oils and ghee, plus weak Vitamin A fortification. Many milk samples fell short of prescribed standards, mainly due to lower protein and fat content. Officials proposed a national testing framework with mandatory quarterly testing and regular reporting, while the Ministry of National Food Security and Research was directed to meet producers and associations within 15 days.