50% LPG outlets in Karachi shut down due to police actions, claims committee

The LPG Action Committee has claimed that 50% of the LPG shops in Karachi have been shut down due to police crackdown.

Ali Haider, the head of the LPG Action Committee, along with others, held a press conference at the Karachi Press Club, stating that the harassment by the police and the negligence of the administration have made it difficult to continue business. As a result of this negative behavior, 50% of the LPG shops in the city have closed.

He mentioned that there are a total of 5,000 LPG shops in Karachi, and if the police and administration do not change their behavior, shopkeepers will be forced to shut down their businesses and go on strike. The LPG sector provides the government with millions of rupees in annual tax revenue.

Ali Haider further demanded that the unjust interference of the police should be stopped, adding that the committee is ready to engage in positive dialogue with the administration.

He called for the immediate reopening of shops operating according to standard operating procedures (SOPs) and urged that the remaining shops be given a 15-day grace period to comply. Those who fail to adhere to the SOPs should face appropriate action.

He also pointed out that the police are harassing vehicles transporting LPG, which is severely affecting the supply chain. Drivers are being unnecessarily harassed as well.

Ali Haider said that due to the administration's negligence, thousands of substandard cylinders are being sold across the city and surrounding areas, which are arriving uninterruptedly from Gujranwala and Lahore. Instead of taking action against these unsafe products, the government is targeting the sale and distribution of LPG.

He added that citizens are already suffering due to the shortage of Sui gas, and the administration has no proper alternative in place. He urged the Chief Minister of Sindh, Governor of Sindh, and the Sindh Interior Minister to ensure that the police do not unnecessarily harass LPG shopkeepers.

Previously authorities in Karachi initiated a crackdown on shops selling substandard LPG cylinders, sealing 97 outlets in the East district and 25 in Central.

The operation was, in coordination with the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), aimed to ensure public safety as LPG use rises amid gas supply shortages in the city.