Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar orders swift steps to curb soaring wheat prices

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar chaired a cabinet committee on essential commodities, directing federal and provincial governments to take all necessary actions—such as expanding market supply and cracking down on hoarding—to bring wheat prices down. The meeting examined national wheat and sugar reserves, confirming enough stocks to meet demand through the upcoming harvest and noting sugar trading below the Rs155 per kg target.

Dar stressed the importance of safeguarding food security and ordered close monitoring of market networks to prevent speculation. Attendees included National Food Security and Research Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain, Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Bajwa, provincial chief secretaries and senior officials. The PTI Kisan Wing welcomed the newly announced wheat support price of Rs4,500 per maund but warned that effective procurement mechanisms are needed for farmers to receive the rate, calling for transparent purchasing procedures and a monitoring system to stop middlemen exploitation.