Government unveils urgent action plan to curb food inflation as floods worsen supply crisis

The federal government has launched an urgent action plan to tackle skyrocketing food prices, as inflation continues to squeeze households already hit by the recent floods.

The first meeting of the Steering Committee on Inflation, chaired by Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, was held on Friday. The committee, created last week on the Prime Minister’s instructions, reviewed both domestic and global factors driving the current price surge.

Special focus was given to the impact of flood-damaged crops, which have worsened shortages of essential items such as wheat, rice, and sugar. The committee agreed to strengthen price monitoring, track crop conditions more closely, and work hand in hand with provincial governments to ensure stability.

The Finance Minister directed the Ministry of National Food Security and the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics to urgently assess current food stocks and coordinate with provinces to maintain adequate supplies. He also assured that the Finance Ministry would provide full support to protect low-income and flood-affected families from further economic hardship.

Officials were further instructed to propose strong measures to guarantee smooth supply chains and rein in inflation. Senior representatives from key ministries, the State Bank of Pakistan, and the Sustainable Development Policy Institute participated in the meeting. A follow-up session is scheduled soon to finalize concrete steps.