LPG dealers' strike leaves consumers scrambling for cooking fuel

LPG dealers have closed about 5,500 to 6,000 shops in Lahore and other cities, disrupting supplies as they protest alleged harassment by enforcement agencies. The Express Tribune reported that dealers say authorities have confiscated filling pumps and imposed fines, while failing to act against LPG companies and alleged profiteers.

The stoppage follows a week and a half of unusually expensive LPG, and consumers are now searching for other cooking fuels. Coal prices have risen by Rs10 to Rs20 per kilogram, from Rs40 to between Rs50 and Rs60, while tandoors and eateries that rely on LPG are struggling to operate.

Dealers say they are bearing losses and penalties despite not setting the high supply prices, an allegation that has not been independently established in the report. The disruption adds to household fuel costs and puts pressure on small food businesses as both LPG access and alternatives become more difficult.