Responding to the demand of the LPG marketing companies and distributors, the federal government has announced reduction in the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) up to Rs 95 per domestic cylinder. The decision to slash the LPG price was taken at a meeting held between the representatives of the federal government and the LPG Association of Pakistan (LPGAP) in Islamabad on Saturday under directives of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, said Irfan Khokhar, spokesman for the LPGAP in Lahore.
He said it has been decided in the meeting that the LPG producers will curtail the price of the LPG, while the marketing companies will pass on the benefit of this price reduction to the consumers.
However, the date for enforcement of price reduction will be announced later on, he added.
It was agreed in the meeting that the pricing mechanism would be so arranged that the total benefit for the consumer would be about Rs 95 per domestic cylinder with some variations due to transportation cost to various cities, Irfan Khokhar added.
Meanwhile, LPGAP chairman Iqbal Z. Ahmed, in a statement, thanked the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources for accepting the long-standing demand of the LPG marketing companies and the distributors, adding the public using the LPG was suffering at large for soaring price of the LPG, and by reducing the price, the government, in fact, has provided relief to the common man.
The LPGAP chief also assured the government that his association will extend all-out support and co-operation to it for keeping the LPG price stable in future.
Earlier, the government told the National Assembly that the LPG prices would be brought down shortly.
"The prime minister has taken notice of 13 percent increase in the LPG cylinder price and asked for downward revision in its price," Petroleum and Natural Resources Minister Amanullah Khan Jadoon said while responding to an adjournment motion by the opposition.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Sher Afgan said that the government had intervened in order to neutralise burden on the consumers and prices would soon be reduced.
However, both the ministers did not give assurance to the House in categorical terms that Rs 50 increase would be withdrawn.