ISLAMABAD, May 16 – Despite the alarming rise in fatal LPG-related incidents nationwide, the Ministry of Law has delayed approval of a critical safety bill proposed by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) for the past two years, drawing strong criticism from industry stakeholders and safety advocates.
The *LPG Industry Amendment Bill, submitted by Ogra, recommends stringent penalties, including *10 years’ imprisonment and a Rs10 million fine for general violations, and 14 years in prison with a Rs15 million fine for those responsible for deadly LPG cylinder and bowser blasts.
However, the bill remains in limbo, with no movement from the Ministry of Law, despite repeated letters and appeals from the LPG Distributors Association of Pakistan and Ogra.
“There is no effective legal framework to ensure safety in the LPG sector,” the association wrote in a letter to the Prime Minister, urging Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar to act swiftly. The association has warned of nationwide protests if the bill is not presented in Parliament soon.
Chairman of the association, Irfan Khokhar, said in a video statement that two explosions and four fatalities occur daily due to faulty LPG equipment and gas adulteration. Over 36 letters have been sent to government departments, but the law ministry has yet to respond meaningfully.
He cited tragic incidents, including a *deadly bowser explosion in DG Khan, another in **Hyderabad, and a recent blast in *Lahore that killed five people, as grim reminders of the consequences of inaction.
The association demanded an immediate ban on the manufacturing and sale of substandard LPG cylinders, bowsers, and valves, emphasizing that unchecked illegal operations continue to cost lives.
Without urgent legislative intervention, stakeholders warn, Pakistan will remain vulnerable to preventable disasters stemming from a poorly regulated LPG industry.
