Despite losing hundreds of lives in LPG blasts across the country, the law ministry has been reluctant to clear Ogra's LPG Industry Amendment Bill for the last two years, which envisages strict penalties, including imprisonment.
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) has proposed 10 years of imprisonment along with a Rs10 million fine. Secondly, the regulator has proposed 14 years of imprisonment with Rs15 million fine for those involved in cases of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder and browser blast.
According to LPG industry officials, they have written letters multiple times to the law ministry, but it has not moved to save the lives of people from substandard LPG cylinders and bowsers.
Ogra had submitted a draft bill to the law ministry two years ago, but it is still pending with no progress to date.
The LPG Distributors Association of Pakistan, in a letter sent to the prime minister, has said that there is no proper legal framework to ensure safety in the LPG industry. Existing laws carry negligible penalties for illegal practices.
In the letter, the LPG Association expressed concern over the continued delay in the Ogra amendment bill by the law ministry and demanded that Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar take prompt action on the matter.
Incidents are occurring frequently due to the mixing of CO2 in LPG and those involved in this hazardous malpractice are being let off without punishment.
The association has urged the Ministry of Law and Justice to present the proposed amendments to the bill in parliament, noting that strict penalties have been recommended for those responsible. If the bill is not tabled soon, the association warned it would be compelled to protest.
In a video statement, Association Chairman Irfan Khokhar said that two explosions and four fatalities occur every day due to this issue. He noted that more than 36 letters have been sent to government bodies and the Ministry of Law, highlighting the delay in passing the bill.
He cited incidents such as the tragic bowser explosion in DG Khan and the casualties from bowser blasts in Hyderabad last year. Khokhar further stated that in recent days five people lost their lives in an LPG explosion in Lahore.
"We respectfully urge the immediate approval and implementation of the pending bill regarding petroleum and explosive materials, with a clear and enforceable ban on the manufacture and sale of substandard LPG cylinders, bowsers and valves across Pakistan. The continued operation of illegal and non-compliant manufacturers has led to frequent explosions, severe injuries and tragic loss of life."
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