The LPG Action Committee has stated that 50% of LPG shops in Karachi have closed due to a police crackdown.
At a press conference at the Karachi Press Club, Ali Haider, the committee’s head, along with other members, reported that police harassment and administrative negligence have hindered business operations, leading to the shutdown of half the LPG shops in the city.
Haider mentioned that there are around 5,000 LPG shops in Karachi and warned that if the police and administration do not change their approach, shopkeepers might be compelled to close their businesses and go on strike. The LPG sector generates millions in tax revenue for the government each year.
He called for an end to the unjust police interference and expressed the committee’s readiness to engage in constructive discussions with the administration. He urged for the immediate reopening of shops that comply with standard operating procedures (SOPs) and requested a 15-day grace period for others to meet these requirements, cautioning that those who fail to comply should face appropriate penalties.
Haider also raised concerns about the harassment of vehicles transporting LPG, which is disrupting the supply chain and subjecting drivers to unnecessary scrutiny.
He highlighted that due to administrative negligence, many substandard cylinders are being sold across the city and nearby areas, with unsafe products continuously arriving from Gujranwala and Lahore. Rather than addressing the sale of these hazardous items, the government is focusing on LPG distribution.
He stressed that citizens are already suffering from a shortage of Sui gas and that the administration lacks a proper alternative. Haider urged the Chief Minister of Sindh, the Governor, and the Sindh Interior Minister to ensure that police do not unjustly 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 the Central district. This operation, conducted in coordination with the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), aimed to enhance public safety as the use of LPG rises amid ongoing gas supply shortages in the city.
