Families in Rawalpindi return to firewood as gas crisis and LPG prices rise
Severe gas shortages and soaring LPG costs have forced households to use coal, kerosene, and sawdust for cooking.
Families in Rawalpindi are returning to firewood, coal, and kerosene for cooking as natural gas is available for barely six hours a day. The shift comes as winter approaches and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices soar, according to reports by The Express Tribune.
A new domestic LPG cylinder now costs PKR 13,500, up from PKR 10,000 previously. Refill charges have increased from PKR 3,000 to PKR 5,000, while commercial cylinder refills have reached PKR 25,000.
The cost of alternative fuels has also risen. Coal is priced between PKR 800 and PKR 1,000 per maund, while dry firewood costs between PKR 1,500 and PKR 1,800 per maund. Ordinary firewood costs between PKR 1,300 and PKR 1,400, and sawdust is priced at around PKR 700 per maund.
Shehzad Manzoor Kiyani, divisional president of the All-Pakistan Clerks Association, said inflation and unreliable gas supplies forced government employees to use firewood and coal. He noted that households spend between PKR 10,000 and PKR 12,000 a month on LPG.
Furniture factory owner Muhammad Faizan said residents are now collecting waste wood, which was previously dumped near Nullah Lai, for cooking purposes. The growing demand for firewood has also reportedly contributed to timber theft from forests.
