Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has directed to take immediate measures to control the prices of essential commodities to provide maximum relief to the common man.

He said this while chairing a meeting of the National Price Monitoring Committee in Islamabad today to review the prices of essential commodities.

The committee directed the Ministry of National Food Security and provincial governments to ensure inter-provincial coordination in order to avoid any shortage of daily commodities particularly wheat before the month of Ramzan.

Food secretaries of all the provinces were further instructed to hold a meeting immediately with the Ministry of Food to review the progress of wheat across the country and to ensure its smooth production and supply.

During the meeting, a presentation on the price monitoring and inflation was given while representatives from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan apprised the forum of current production and supply of wheat and sugar.

The Minister directed the stakeholders to closely monitor the price index and to ensure the forecasting in order to avoid any disruption in Ramzan.

Ahsan Iqbal also directed officials to take stern action against those involved in market hoarding and there should be zero tolerance against hoarders. He advised the officials to ensure the supply of essential commodities keeping in view the demand which will be increased in the month of Ramzan.

During the meeting, the Minister also expressed serious concerns over the increased prices of essential commodities in Islamabad Capital Territory and directed the Chief Commissioner to control the prices immediately. He said there should not be too much difference between the prices of wholesales and retails items.

Source: Radio Pakistan