A food crisis looms in Pakistan due to soaring prices caused by the widening gap between demand and supply of essential commodities. This has led to a surge in food and overall inflation, with people across the country feeling the heat from up to a 100 percent increase in the prices of basic food items required for survival. Wheat, the primary source of food and nutrition for most of the population, has witnessed a price appreciation of 30–50 percent in just a month.
Wheat flour prices have increased by 35 percent in October, month-on-month, while wheat prices have surged by 38 percent in a month. The prices have continued to increase, as price for one kg of wheat flour increase from PKR 80 in August to PKR 125 in September. This has aggravated the sufferings of common people in Pakistan, who were already impacted by higher living costs and the country’s economic instability. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased saw increase of 5.6 percent on a year-on-year basis in September 2025.
The food inflation is not limited to wheat but has affected all major food commodities. This has impacted nutritional diversity, meat consumption and cutting consumption of expensive items like tomatoes. Farrukh Abbasi, an activist and a leader of political outfit Awam Pakistan, said “This isn’t just about flour being expensive. When wheat goes up, all food prices rise. Pakistan is staring at a fresh wave of food inflation in the middle of floods. Aata, bread, feed, chicken, eggs, veggies, meats and even milk goes up.”
People have expressed anger over the government’s failure to contain food inflation, that has made their livelihood difficult. “Inflation is falling in some goods but vegetables and other food prices are skyrocketing. This is causing devastating flood like damage in Pakistan. Our economic team should declare a food (agricultural) emergency and adopt effective policies to control these prices,” said Pakistani national Fariha Sajid.
Experts have forecasted the overall inflation figures to exceed the projection of the Islamabad government and the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). Interestingly, Pakistan Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb had asserted that the government was committed to price stability. Controlling inflation and ensuring price stability remain among the top priorities of the government, especially to safeguard vulnerable and low-income households,” Aurangzeb said. However, people claimed the government measures were just symbolic, thus failing to prevent overcharging.
In many places, market prices were trading above the official prices set by the enforcement agencies. “Every time I see the official rate list posted on the wall, it feels like a joke. The shopkeepers laugh when you point at it. We have no choice but to pay what they demand because we cannot stop eating,” said a frustrated buyer from Lahore. Another buyer said “The officials come with notebooks and cameras, but the next hour everything is the same. Ordinary families like mine are left with no protection.”
Meanwhile, the Islamabad government has blamed the floods for lower farm output and skyrocketing prices of food commodities. The alarming signs of food inflation and shortage of essential commodities have unnerved people, who sought strong measures from the government to get some respite. “Pakistan’s inflation surge shows how floods and food shortages are hitting people hard, demanding urgent relief and economic stability measures,” said a Pakistani national Arif Jan.
Sardar Mansoor Abbasi, a parliamentarian and senior leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), criticised the Islamabad government as the average food inflation increased to 25-32 percent now from 7-9 percent earlier. “The collapse of Pakistan’s economy is etched in the empty plates of its poor…Electricity bills doubled, petrol at record highs. When survival costs more than life itself, governance has already failed,” he said.
The food inflation was expected to remain high due to the floods and the disruption of the supply chain, said Shankar Talreja, head of research at Karachi-based brokerage firm Topline Securities. “We expect Pakistan’s inflation to average between 6–7 percent this year. The impact of floods is likely to keep food prices under pressure,” he said. The volatility and uncertainty have created chaos. “Every week the rates change. Customers argue, but what can we do? We buy at high prices too,” said a Karachi-based vendor.