Pakistan Approves 500,000-Ton Sugar Import to Curb Price Surge

Pakistan’s federal cabinet has authorized the state to import up to 500,000 metric tons of sugar in an effort to arrest a sharp rise in retail prices and avert shortages, the Ministry of National Food Security said Tuesday. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar chaired the meeting that cleared the measure after wholesale rates in major cities climbed to about Rs179 per kilogram, with some retail outlets charging close to Rs200. Officials said the consignments will be procured through the public sector under an expedited timetable and distributed across provinces to stabilise supply. The government is simultaneously directing law-enforcement and regulatory agencies, including the Federal Investigation Agency and the Federal Board of Revenue, to crack down on hoarding, price manipulation and cartelisation in the sugar market. Authorities contend the twin approach of imports and enforcement will ease consumer pressure ahead of the peak demand season.