KARACHI: Pakistan has increased liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) imports through the sea route following disruptions to supplies from Iran, with more than 11,600 tonnes arriving at Karachi’s ports within a week as retail prices surge across the country.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!An LPG carrier, Yellow Stone, carrying 4,000 metric tonnes of LPG loaded in Bahrain, berthed at Port Qasim on October 24, marking another addition to the country’s seaborne supplies, according to port authorities.
In a statement, the Port Qasim Authority (PQA) said the vessel’s arrival marked the start of cargo handling in accordance with applicable procedures, highlighting the port’s role in facilitating essential energy imports for domestic and commercial consumers.
The latest shipment followed the arrival of two other vessels within the preceding 72 hours. The PGC Yiannios, carrying 4,520 tonnes of LPG, berthed at the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) terminal, while the Alisa 1, carrying 3,083 tonnes, completed its cargo operations.
The increased reliance on seaborne imports comes after the suspension of LPG bowser movement across the Gabd-Rimdan border crossing between Pakistan and Iran disrupted land-based supplies, triggering a sharp increase in domestic prices.
In Lahore, consumers reported paying as much as Rs570 per kilogramme, nearly double the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority’s (Ogra) official rate of Rs279 per kilogramme for October.
Market prices have reportedly climbed to Rs500–600 per kilogramme in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, with even higher rates recorded in colder and hilly areas. Consumers said some vendors had stopped selling LPG openly following government action against overpricing but continued supplying the fuel discreetly at inflated rates.
Pakistan’s daily LPG consumption is estimated at 4,000–4,500 tonnes, compared with domestic production of approximately 2,000–2,500 tonnes. Demand typically rises to 6,000–7,000 tonnes per day during peak winter, when households increasingly rely on LPG for cooking and heating.
Pakistan LPG Distributors Association Chairman Irfan Khokhar warned that prices could rise further if supply disruptions continued. He called for immediate imports, stricter enforcement against overcharging and a review of Ogra’s pricing mechanism.
Meanwhile, commercial cargo movement has resumed at the Gabd-Rimdan crossing. Mir Naveed Jan Kalmati, president of the Gwadar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told a private television channel that trade operations restarted on Saturday morning.
Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri-Moghaddam also said on Sunday that Iran’s borders with neighbouring countries remained open for trade.
Responding to reports that several hundred trucks carrying LPG had crossed the Rimdan-Gabd border but were awaiting clearance, the ambassador said bilateral border trade was an integral part of agreements reached at the highest levels and served the interests of both countries.
With winter approaching and demand expected to increase, further seaborne shipments could help ease supply shortages. However, the extent of relief for consumers will depend on the continuity of imports, the restoration of cross-border supplies and effective enforcement of official prices in local markets.
