Pakistan: Hundreds of LPG tankers stranded at border

Pakistan is facing a worsening cooking gas shortage with prices surging after the closure of two critical border crossings with neighboring Iran. Traders say the disruption has choked off a major supply route for liquefied petroleum gas, or LPG, leaving consumers paying sharply higher prices for an essential household fuel. The Gubad-Rimdan and Taftan border crossings were closed to commercial trade on October 17, And while Gubad-Rimdan has since partially reopened for Pakistani exports of perishable goods, LPG imports remain suspended. Pakistan normally receives around 7,000 metric tons of LPG daily from Iran, with more than 4,000 tons passing through Gubad-Rimdan alone. The result is a deepening supply squeeze, with hundreds of trucks and gas tankers stranded near the border. We have been stuck at the border for almost 10 days. this is the main problem. The border is now closed and Iranian vehicles are not coming. Because of this, we are facing a lot of difficulties here. We cannot even get water and there are no basic facilities available. The price increases are already being felt across Pakistan. In Balochistan, the price of a 12 kilogram LPG cylinder has jumped from 4,500 to 7,000 Pakistani rupees. In Lahore, the same cylinder is selling for as much as 7,500 rupees. And in Skardu, prices have reached 8,200 Pakistani rupees. And that means households in some areas are paying thousands more for a basic necessity. Just as winter approaches and demand for heating fuel is expected to only increase. Meanwhile, the border closure is also disrupting wider trade between Pakistan and Iran. More than 1,000 Pakistani containers carrying agricultural goods have been affected. The Quetta Chamber of Commerce has advised traders to suspend new orders from Iran until the situation improves. Islamabad has cited security and anti-smuggling concerns, while Tehran has pointed to technical issues. Officials from both countries have been discussing ways to restore normal trade, but there is still no confirmed timeline for the full resumption of LPG imports. For Pakistan, the timing could hardly be more difficult. With winter approaching, high energy costs are adding to the pressure on household budgets. And unless cross-border LPG supplies resume, traders warn the shortage could deepen further. A border trade disruption is now becoming an everyday cost-of-living problem for Pakistani consumers.