Transport fares remain high, says NPMC

The National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC) on Friday projected a picture of easing price pressures, saying transport fares had remained unchanged while chicken prices had returned to pre-Middle East conflict levels, even as on-ground reports suggest otherwise.

The meeting, chaired by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, reviewed essential commodity trends but stopped short of providing a detailed breakdown of transport fares, despite recent increases on intra-city and inter-city routes following petroleum price hikes.

Provincial subsidies to goods transporters over the past month may have helped contain freight costs, but the official statement offered no specifics.

Officials told the meeting that transport fares had not risen, while chicken prices had stabilised after earlier volatility linked to Gulf tensions.

The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics briefed the committee on market conditions, as the NPMC assessed the impact of recent policy interventions.

Iqbal expressed satisfaction over stable fertiliser prices despite international pressures, calling it a positive signal for the domestic economy. He said provincial interventions were gradually helping stabilise inflation, indicating a more settled price environment across key sectors.

Calling for structural fixes, the minister emphasised the need to develop cold chain infrastructure in the poultry sector to sustain price stability. He directed authorities to submit concrete proposals within five days, particularly in light of recent swings in chicken prices.

He also urged stricter action against the spread of substandard ghee and other food items in rural areas, stressing tighter enforcement and oversight.