Islamabad, The National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC), led by Caretaker Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives Muhammad Sami Saeed, convened to review the prices of essential commodities in Pakistan. The meeting brought together representatives from various ministries, provincial governments, and statistical bodies.

According to Press Information Department, the Chief Statistician of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics presented an overview of the country’s price situation as of January 11, 2024. The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) showed a 1.4% increase over the previous week and a 44.2% increase compared to the same week the previous year. This spike was attributed mainly to perishable items like tomatoes and onions, as well as poultry products such as chicken and eggs.

During the meeting, representatives from provincial Food and Industries Departments discussed measures taken to control the retail prices of essential commodities, including strict monitoring and enforcement actions like fines, raids, and shop closures. The Punjab Administration highlighted efforts to address supply issues of perishable items exacerbated by extreme weather conditions and the impact of climate change.

The Minister directed the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics to provide a detailed report on the use of the Decision Support System on Inflation (DSSI) by provincial and district authorities. He also urged the Ministry of National Food Security and Research to collaborate with the Pakistan Poultry Association to address poultry supply issues. With Ramadan approaching, the Minister stressed the importance of ensuring the smooth availability of essential commodities and instructed provincial governments and the Islamabad Capital Territory administration to closely monitor the demand and supply of specific commodities used during the holy month.