Karachi: Citizens in Karachi, the country’s largest city, are being forced to purchase flour at significantly higher prices. According to the weekly report released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, a 20kg flour bag in Karachi is being sold for up to Rs1800, markedly higher than in other major cities across the country.
The report highlights that the 20kg bag in Karachi is Rs420 more expensive than in Lahore, Rs300 more than in Peshawar, and up to Rs200 more than in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Quetta. In Sukkur, the same bag is Rs 440 cheaper than in Karachi.
As per the Bureau’s data, flour prices in various cities are as follows:
Karachi: Rs1800
Islamabad and Rawalpindi: Rs1600
Lahore: Rs1380
Faisalabad and Gujranwala: Rs1400
Sialkot: Rs 1427
Multan, Sargodha, Bahawalpur: Rs1467
Hyderabad: Rs 1680
Sukkur: Rs1360
Peshawar and Larkana: Rs1500
Bannu: Rs1400
Khuzdar and Quetta: Rs1600
According to economists, issues related to supply chains, transportation, and market accessibility often lead to higher prices of essential goods in Karachi compared to other regions. Factors such as hoarding, profiteering, and weak governmental oversight in certain areas also contribute to price hikes.
Residents complain that the persistent rise in essential items, particularly flour, is severely affecting household budgets. Consumers are urging the Sindh government and local administration to take immediate steps to regulate flour prices, so that lower and middle-income families can afford daily necessities with ease.
