Poor Pakistanis Cut Food Consumption by 16% as Flour Prices Surge 81% Under Shehbaz Era: Asad Umar

Staff Report 

ISLAMABAD: Former Finance Minister Asad Umar has said that flour is the biggest expense for poor Pakistanis, but its price increased by 81% during the Shehbaz Sharif era.

In a post on X, he said the price of flour had increased by 21% compared with last year. He said, “The price of flour increased by 81% during the Shehbaz Sharif era; conditions have deteriorated so much that the poor have reduced their food consumption by 16%. Flour is the biggest expense for poor Pakistanis.” According to the World Bank, half of the poorest people in the entire region are Pakistani.

Will there also be a press conference, an all-parties conference or a national action plan on the price of flour, which is making life difficult for millions of Pakistanis and is expected to rise further? Furthermore, according to the report, flour prices have continued to rise due to the increase in wheat prices.

Over the past 10 days, small-chakki flour has become Rs10 more expensive, reaching Rs180 per kilogram, while flour mills’ No. 2.5 flour has reached Rs155 per kilogram. Abdul Rauf Ibrahim, a leader of the Wholesale Grocers Association, termed the daily increase in prices alarming and said that flour prices were rising as wheat prices continued to increase.

Wheat prices have risen from Rs135 to Rs140 per kilogram, while flour prices at flour mills have increased by Rs10 in 10 days. According to Abdul Rauf Ibrahim, flour mills’ No. 2.5 flour has reached Rs155 per kilogram, while fine flour has reached Rs170.

He said inflation had broken the public’s back and that the daily increase in flour prices was unjust. Abdul Rauf Ibrahim further said imported wheat would arrive in November and that pulse prices had increased by 20%. If measures are not taken, flour prices could rise to Rs250 per kilogram.