ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar has issued a stern warning against hoarding and price manipulation of essential food items, particularly sugar, assuring strict government action to protect consumers.
Chairing a high-level meeting in Islamabad on Wednesday, Dar emphasized the government’s resolve to ensure the availability of essential food items at affordable prices for the general public.
“The government would take strict action against any malpractices of hoarding, artificial shortage of food items and overpricing,” he said.
The meeting focused on reviewing the supply and pricing trends of key food commodities, with sugar being a primary concern. Dar instructed relevant authorities to fully enforce the government’s pricing policy to prevent exploitation of consumers.
“Fully implement the government’s policy of supply of essential food items to common men at affordable prices,” he directed.
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50, chaired a high-level meeting to review the supply and availability of essential food commodities especially sugar.
— Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (@DPM_PK) June 18, 2025
The meeting was attended by the Minister for National Food Security, SAPM Tariq… pic.twitter.com/KfbTeg9YV4
The meeting brought together top officials including Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain, SAPM Tariq Bajwa, Secretary of Industries and Production, a representative from the Federal Board of Revenue, the Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency, and officials from the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association along with provincial government departments.
Meanwhile, official data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) indicates that the weekly inflation measured by the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) dropped by 0.11% for the week ending June 12. The SPI for combined consumption groups stood at 309.51 points, down from 309.85 the previous week. Year-on-year, the SPI registered a 1.41% decline.
The SPI, which uses 2015-16 as its base year, tracks prices of 51 essential items across 17 urban centers, providing a snapshot of inflationary trends impacting various income brackets.