Rawalpindi food prices have climbed far above official rates, and the district’s price control system has failed to stop the rise, leaving households to pay more for every meal, The Express Tribune reported.
The district’s price control committee and its 30 magistrates have failed to enforce the official rates for essential goods in the open market, residents say. Traders are setting their own prices, ignoring the notified rates.
Gas is also off for up to 18 hours a day in many neighbourhoods, and a domestic LPG cylinder now costs Rs6,000. Families are paying more for food and more for the fuel to cook it.
Rawalpindi food prices: what food costs now
Chicken sells at Rs650 per kilogram, mutton at Rs2,700 and beef at Rs1,500, with boneless beef at Rs1,700. Eggs cost Rs280 per dozen, milk Rs260 per litre and yoghurt Rs280 per kilogram. A roti costs Rs20 from red bran-mixed flour and Rs30 from white flour, a paratha Rs60 and a full cup of tea Rs100.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Chicken | Rs650 per kg |
| Mutton | Rs2,700 per kg |
| Beef | Rs1,500 per kg |
| Boneless beef | Rs1,700 per kg |
| Eggs | Rs280 per dozen |
| Milk | Rs260 per litre |
| Yoghurt | Rs280 per kg |
| White chickpeas | Rs430 per kg |
| Gram pulse | Rs380 per kg |
| Mash pulse | Rs580 per kg |
| Red flour | Rs180 per kg |
| White flour | Rs200 per kg |
| Sugar | Rs150 per kg |
| Gram flour (besan) | Rs400 per kg |
| Potatoes | Rs50 per kg |
| Onions | Rs200 per kg |
| Peas | Rs400 per kg |
| Capsicum | Rs300 per kg |
| Garlic | Rs250 to Rs400 per kg |
| Ginger | Rs300 to Rs400 per kg |
| Bitter gourd | Rs200 per kg |
| Okra | Rs200 per kg |
| Cauliflower | Rs150 per kg |
| Local carrots | Rs150 per kg |
| Cucumbers | Rs100 per kg |
| Radishes | Rs70 per kg |
| Lemons | Rs150 per kg |
| Apples | Rs300 to Rs400 per kg |
| Kandhari pomegranates | Rs600 per kg |
| Sundarkhani grapes | Rs700 per kg |
| Local round and Toffee grapes | Rs500 per kg |
| Papaya | Rs300 per kg |
| Japanese persimmons | Rs300 per kg |
| Bananas | Rs130 to Rs150 per dozen |
| Sweet oranges and kinnow | Rs200 per dozen |
| Coconuts | Rs500 each |
| Roti (red bran flour) | Rs20 |
| Roti (white flour) | Rs30 |
| Paratha | Rs60 |
| Tea (full cup) | Rs100 |
Gas shortages add to the strain
The price rises come on top of prolonged gas outages. Natural gas remains unavailable for up to 18 hours a day in many neighbourhoods, and a domestic LPG cylinder now sells for Rs6,000. With gas off for most of the day, households that can afford LPG pay more for fuel as well as food, while those that cannot face cold stoves and longer cooking times.
Controls exist on paper
The district has a price control committee and 30 magistrates whose job is to enforce the official price lists in the open market. But consumers report violations everywhere, and residents say repeated breaches have gone unchecked. In practice, the market price and the notified price are now two different things, and the gap between them is the rule rather than the exception.
Why it matters beyond Rawalpindi
Food pressure is not limited to one district. A United Nations-backed report has warned that heatwaves in Punjab threaten agriculture and food security, with fruit yields falling by half in high-rainfall zones, while smog has gripped Punjab with hazardous readings in Lahore and nearby cities. Poor air, extreme heat and weak price enforcement now squeeze the same households from three sides.
The Punjab government has been pressing ahead with its own service agenda, from the Suthra Punjab sanitation drive to school administration, with computer science papers postponed in Jhelum after a scheduling clash. But for families in Rawalpindi, the daily question is simpler: what food costs today, and whether the gas will be on to cook it.
Frequently asked questions
How much do chicken, milk and eggs cost?
Chicken is selling at Rs650 per kilogram, milk at Rs260 per litre and eggs at Rs280 per dozen in Rawalpindi markets, well above officially notified rates.
How long is gas unavailable each day?
Natural gas remains unavailable for up to 18 hours a day in many areas, and a domestic LPG cylinder sells for Rs6,000.
Who is supposed to control prices in Rawalpindi?
The District Price Control Committee and 30 price control magistrates across the district, who have reportedly failed to enforce official rates.
Are food prices rising elsewhere in Punjab too?
Yes. A UN-backed report warns that heatwaves threaten food security across Punjab, with fruit yields falling and livestock under strain.
How much does an LPG cylinder cost?
A domestic LPG cylinder now sells for Rs6,000 in Rawalpindi, while natural gas stays off for up to 18 hours a day in many areas.
