KARACHI: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) has increased the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) by Rs 6.99 per kilogram, taking the new price to Rs 243.99 per kilogram.

The move has been met with criticism from the Karachi LPG Distributors Alliance, which has urged the government to reconsider the hike amid economic hardship.Imran Farooqi, President of the Karachi LPG Distributors Alliance, said that Ogra should have avoided increasing the price of LPG, given the current economic situation. "The common man is already struggling with inflation, and the poor can no longer afford to cook meals. Business conditions are also dire," he said.Farooqi pointed out that while global prices of petroleum products, including petrol and diesel, have decreased, Ogra has instead increased the price of LPG. He demanded that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif direct Ogra to not only withdraw the price hike but also announce a reduction in the price of LPG.