DPM Ishaq Dar reviews essential commodity stocks and prices at cabinet committee meeting

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar chaired a cabinet committee meeting to review essential commodity stocks and prices, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Dar was informed that adequate stocks were available to meet domestic demand, with prices stabilising, and no shortages anticipated. The meeting aimed to monitor supply chains and commodity prices to facilitate domestic consumers, in line with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's directives.

Dar stressed that strict action would be taken against hoarding, artificial shortages, and overpricing of essential commodities. The meeting was attended by several key officials, including the National Food Security and Research Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain and the Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik. Pakistan's short-term inflation rose to 11.97 per cent year-on-year in the week ending Oct 8, primarily due to higher food prices, particularly wheat flour.

Despite the government's efforts to stabilise flour prices, millers refused to lift the official release, citing substandard quality. The International Monetary Fund has projected Pakistan's inflation to remain close to double digits for another year.

Brief written by urgent.news from Dawn - Pakistan's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.