ISLAMABAD: The National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC) on Wednesday reviewed wholesale-retail price gaps and prices of essential commodities and directed relevant authorities to monitor transport fares.

A meeting of the NPMC, presided over by Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal, reviewed the monthly and weekly inflation situation, prices of essential commodities and implementation of previous decisions.

An official announcement said the minister expressed concern over rising prices of essential commodities, particularly wheat flour, and directed provincial and district administrations to strengthen monitoring of supplies, market arrivals, hoarding, profiteering and unjustified price increases.

Mr Ahsan directed the authorities concerned to compare current transport fares with fares prevailing after the previous fuel price increase to determine whether the increase in fuel prices had resulted in any disproportionate rise in fares.

He also directed the Ministry of Food Security to examine why DAP prices remained high in Pakistan despite a decline in international prices, stressing that the benefit of lower international prices should be reflected in the domestic market.

The minister directed that the inspection and quality assessment report regarding ghee, edible oil and milk products be submitted within one week. He said that if the industry had proposed third-party validation, its cost should be borne by the industry and not the government.

He asked the provincial governments to closely monitor wholesale and retail prices and take enforcement action where unjustified gaps existed, particularly in major markets including Lahore and Karachi. He also called for close monitoring of supply chains and distribution costs to prevent disproportionate pass-through of fuel price increases to essential food prices.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2026