Get ready for fresh breads at fresh prices! The city commissioner has announced new prices for naan and chapati, with strict warnings against overcharging. PHOTO: JALAL QURESHI/EXPRES
RAWALPINDI:
The General Council of Pakistan Naanbai Association has announced that despite the record increase in prices of flour, fine flour, sesame, ghee, LPG cylinders, labor and tandoor rentals in the country’s history, the current prices of roti and naan will remain until the 30th of Ramadan.
However, from the day of Eidul Fitr, the price of roti and naan will increase by Rs 5, while the prices of paratha and roghni naan will increase by Rs 10.
The association claimed that the district administration has completely failed and has become unable to control the prices of flour, fine flour and materials used in preparing roti and naan.
The beginning of the new year 2026 has broken the 78-year record of commodity price increases. The general council meeting was attended by district, tehsil and city officials from Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Murree and Talagang districts.
The meeting was chaired by Central Chairman Shafiq Qureshi.
The central president informed that in the open market, the price of a 79 kg bag of flour increased from Rs 7,600 to Rs 11,700 before the new year, while that of a bag of fine flour increased from Rs 8,200 to Rs 12,600 during the same period.
For 30 Ramadan, a further increase from 1,700 to 2,200 rupees per bag is expected. The price of a commercial gas cylinder has reached Rs 16,000. Labor costs for baking bread, kneading dough and making dumplings have increased by Rs 500, while tandoor rentals and electricity bills have multiplied.
He said the old prices of roti, naan and paratha have become unacceptable, but since Ramadan is the month of blessings, a unanimous decision was made to maintain the prices during Ramadan. Prices will increase on the day of Eid or after the three days of Eid holidays.
He added that despite making repeated requests to the food controller, deputy commissioner and PML-N ministers, no help was provided. When magistrates visit them and show them invoices reflecting an increase in material costs, they respond that it is not their problem and roti prices cannot be increased, and even suggest closing the tandoors.
“We are exhausted. If challans or fines are imposed, all tandoors in Rawalpindi division will be closed first, followed by closure across Punjab,” the association warned.
