ISLAMABAD: The National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC) on Saturday examined the effect of increasing petroleum prices on transport fares and essential goods.

The meeting, chaired by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, urged provincial governments to take immediate measures to curb inflationary pressures following a recent increase in fuel prices.

An official announcement said the officials informed the committee that diesel prices had increased significantly, while transport fares across major urban centres had risen by 25-30 per cent on average, with some routes reporting increases of up to 50pc.

Expressing concern, the minister instructed provincial authorities to ensure that transport departments issue revised fare notifications within 24 hours and strictly enforce them. He emphasised that the benefit of government subsidies must not be negated by arbitrary increases imposed by transporters.

He directed chief secretaries to assign clear responsibility to provincial transport secretaries for fare regulation and compliance. He also called for enhanced field enforcement, including random inspections and verification mechanisms to check overcharging.

Highlighting the likelihood of a “second-round effect” on food prices due to higher logistics costs, the minister ordered weekly monitoring of essential commodities. The NPMC will now convene weekly, particularly over the next month, to closely track price movements.

The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics was tasked with sharing district-wise price rankings weekly to identify abnormal trends, enabling timely corrective action by provincial administrations.

The minister further directed market committees and district administrations to regulate wholesale and retail prices and monitor profit margins to prevent hoarding and profiteering. Special emphasis was placed on ensuring an uninterrupted supply of perishable and staple items, including tomatoes, onions, potatoes, wheat, rice and pulses.p

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2026