PPL restrained from holding 400MT LPG auction

A division bench of the Lahore High Court on Wednesday declined to allow permission for holding auction of approximately 400MT (metric ton) Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and issued notices to the Ogra and petroleum ministry for February 7. A single bench had restrained the Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) from holding the auction. The stay order was passed in a petition of a LPG marketing company that alleged that the PPL had been auctioning the LPG beyond fixed price by the government in sheer violation of the LPG policy.
The government's counsel argued that there would be a shortage of LPG in the country if the auction was not held on its schedule. He said the auction was a policy matter of the government and the court lacked jurisdiction to interfere, the counsel added. He stated that the court could not order implementation of the LPG policy as it was yet to be notified. The bench, after hearing the petitioner's counsel, turned down the request of the government.