ISLAMABAD: Chairman of the LPG Distributors Association, Irfan Khokhar, has issued a stark warning that the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict could trigger a nationwide LPG crisis in Pakistan if immediate steps are not taken to bolster storage and ensure alternative import routes.
Highlighting the critical shortfall, Khokhar said Pakistan is already facing an LPG deficit, and the closure of borders amid the conflict is worsening the situation. He urged the government to urgently arrange special imports to avert a looming supply shock.
He warned that the disruption could empower the LPG black market, potentially pushing the price of a domestic LPG cylinder to PKR 5,000–6,000 and PKR 450–500 per kg. Commercial cylinder prices could soar to PKR 20,000–23,000.
Pakistan’s daily consumption of LPG is around 6,000 metric tons, while monthly local production stands at just 60,000 to 70,000 metric tons. In comparison, storage infrastructure remains alarmingly inadequate. The total storage capacity at Port Qasim—across SSGC and EVTL terminals—is only 13,000 metric tons, with operational storage at just 6,500 metric tons. Meanwhile, Bangladesh boasts a storage capacity of 300,000 metric tons.
Khokhar called for an immediate expansion of LPG storage infrastructure and advised distributors and retailers to maintain full stocks in anticipation of possible supply disruptions.
