Despite the fact that inflation may have reached a 16-month low of 23.1 percent, the slight improvements could be negated by rising food prices during Ramadan. Prices nationwide have already started to rise as the fasting month draws near. The price of iftar and sehr basics, like as meat, gramme wheat, and several fruits and vegetables, has increased significantly in the lead-up to Ramadan. This can be attributed to a number of factors, including global commodities and energy prices, high demand and limited supply, the long-standing practice of price gouging, and the deliberate manufacture of shortages by market participants in order to profit quickly. Furthermore, inflation linked to Ramadan is not unique to Pakistan; it is a worldwide phenomena. To enable families to enjoy a good spread, the trick is for governments to ensure that dealers do not deviate from the official price lists and to combat excessive costs by targeted subsidies.
The recently elected federal government, for its part, has started a Rs7.5 billion Ramadan aid programme via the utility stores. Discounts on essentials during Ramadan will only be available to people who have enrolled with the Benazir Income Support Programme. The new Punjabi administration, on the other hand, has started a programme to distribute food parcels to people’s doorsteps during the holy month. In order to guarantee that food rations reach the most vulnerable sections of the population without sacrificing food quality, these programmes should be transparent. Apart from these initiatives, local governments will host bachat bazaars to offer reduced prices on necessities for Ramadan. Again, since there have been complaints from customers in the past about inferior products being offered, the quality of the food products on sale should be maintained in this instance. In addition to focused initiatives, the state ought to establish local pricing monitoring committees to prevent vendors from defrauding customers under the pretext of “shortages.” While it’s true that some products are in high demand during Ramadan, vendors also raise the cost of other goods by claiming their scarcity. It is necessary to check this profiteering. In addition, a lot of nonprofits will host Ramadan food drives. In order to protect the beneficiaries’ dignity and to ensure that appropriate crowd control measures are in place to prevent stampedes, these initiatives must comply with specific SOPs.