ISLAMABAD: The National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC) on Friday claimed transport fares remained unchanged, while chicken prices eased back to pre-Middle East conflict levels following earlier volatility.

An NPMC meeting, chaired by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, however, did not provide a breakdown of transport fares, even though public transport has seen sharp increases on both intra-city and inter-city routes following the recent surge in petroleum prices.

Over the past month, provincial governments have intervened by extending subsidies to goods transporters, which may have helped contain freight charges. However, the official statement issued after the meeting did not specify any details on transport fares.

During the briefing, officials informed the meeting that transport fares had not witnessed any increase, while chicken prices had returned to pre-conflict levels following earlier volatility linked to tensions in the Gulf region.

Officials from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) briefed the committee on prevailing price trends and market conditions. The NPMC reviewed the trend in essential commodity prices and the impact of recent policy measures.

The minister expressed satisfaction that fertiliser prices had remained stable despite international pressures, calling it a positive development for the domestic market. The minister further went on to say that the provincial governments’ interventions were gradually helping stabilise inflation, indicating an improving price environment across key sectors.

Emphasising structural reforms, Iqbal said the establishment of cold chain infrastructure in the poultry sector was essential to ensure sustained price stability. He directed relevant authorities to prepare concrete proposals on cold chain development within five days.

The proposal evolved in connection with the volatility in the prices of chicken in domestic prices.

Iqbal also called for effective measures to curb the proliferation of substandard ghee and other food items in rural areas, stressing the need for stricter enforcement and monitoring.

The meeting also expressed concern over the substantial gap between wholesale and retail prices in certain cities. The NPMC instructed the provincial governments to ensure better alignment between wholesale and retail pricing.

The minister urged all provincial and federal institutions to remain vigilant in maintaining price stability and directed officials to ensure adequate availability of essential commodities across the country.

The government has reactivated the NPMC to hold weekly meetings aimed at tracking trends in essential commodity prices and recommending policy measures to contain any upward pressure.

Provincial chief secretaries, or their representatives, also attend the meetings to report on interventions taken in response to unusual price movements identified by the PBS.

On April 11, NPMC had directed the Sindh government to take corrective measures regarding rising fares in Karachi.

Transporters in Punjab also incre­ased fares by up to 30 per cent following the recent fuel price hike, stressing that the government’s subsidy was insufficient to offset rising operational costs.