The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet was alerted to a potential resurgence in inflation, driven by crop damage from floods, supply chain disruptions, and concerns of possible cartelisation within the edible oil and ghee sectors. This warning has raised concerns over a possible spike in food prices nationwide.
In a meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Muhammad Aurangzeb, key ministers, including Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari (Minister for Power) and Ahsan Iqbal (Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives), along with senior officials from relevant ministries and regulatory institutions, gathered to discuss the issue.
The finance minister underscored the need for continuous monitoring, enhanced coordination among agencies, and timely intervention to protect public purchasing power and maintain price stability.
Dr. Imtiaz Ahmad, Chief Economist of the Ministry of Planning, gave an extensive presentation on inflationary trends, highlighting the effects of recent floods on food prices. He explained that while inflation was moderate before the floods, it spiked to 5.6% in September 2025 due to the destruction of agricultural land and livestock. This damage disrupted the supply chain, causing food inflation to rise sharply. The Sensitive Price Index also showed an increase through October.
Dr Ahmad noted that although some items like chicken, rice, and LPG saw a price decrease, the prices of essential commodities such as sugar, beef, cooking oil, and ghee experienced significant increases.
He also mentioned that preparations for a comprehensive Ramzan price stabilization plan were underway. Provincial governments were encouraged to utilize the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) Decision Support System (DSS) to improve market monitoring and price oversight.
The ECC meeting also called for increased market surveillance at the provincial level, urging the adoption of the DSS to enhance transparency in tracking market rates and ensure real-time data reporting. The committee emphasized taking stronger actions against profiteering to protect consumers from rising prices.
The finance minister commended the analysis presented and directed all relevant authorities to implement the recommended measures effectively. He stressed the importance of ongoing monitoring and collaborative efforts across ministries to stabilize prices and control inflation in the country.
The National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC) has recommended several policy measures to curb inflation. These include examining the global price impact, enhancing coordination between federal and provincial agencies to address supply shortages, and providing targeted agricultural credit to farmers in flood-affected regions.Â
The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) was also tasked with investigating potential cartelization in the edible oil and ghee industries.
