Consumers across Pakistan are feeling the pinch as wheat and flour prices climb, with the federal government yet to issue a tender for one million tonnes of grain imports despite ongoing cost escalation. Fresh data from the Sensitive Price Index (SPI) shows the price of a 20 kg flour bag in Karachi has jumped to Rs2,700-3,000, up from Rs2,600-2,900 just a week earlier. Main Developments Karachi's 10 kg wheat bag now sells at Rs1,200, while fine flour has risen to Rs158.56 per kg, compared to Rs1,160 and Rs149.46 respectively in the week ending July 30. Nationally, the average price for a 20 kg flour bag ranges between Rs2,200-3,133, with fine flour averaging Rs153 per kg — an overall wheat flour price increase of 0.52 percent. Islamabad and Rawalpindi are witnessing the steepest prices, with a 10 kg wheat bag costing Rs1,339.31 and a 20 kg flour bag fetching Rs3,040-3,133. Fine flour in these cities has reached Rs173.68 per kg, outpacing all other urban centres in the country. Read also: 3 Key Details in Blink Capital's FIA Fraud Referral Background The price surge comes as provincial governments finalise their wheat procurement strategies. The Sindh Cabinet has approved the import of 500,000 tonnes through the Trading Corporation of Pakistan, operating under a framework coordinated by the federal government. Punjab is planning a much larger one million tonne import, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have proposed 200,000 and 57,500 tonnes respectively. Traders have voiced concerns that the government is not prioritising price control ahead of these imports. Karachi Wholesalers Grocers Association Chairman Rauf Ibrahim warned that vested interests and speculators have already entered the commodity business, capitalising on the delay. Why It Matters Household budgets are being stretched thin as staple food costs climb, with no immediate relief in sight. The prolonged wait for an import tender means imported wheat will take months to arrive, leaving consumers exposed to further price hikes in the interim. If prices are not stabilised before the imports land, the benefits of the government's decision will largely fail to reach the public. What's Next The federal government has yet to announce a timeline for issuing the wheat import tender, a critical step that traders say is long overdue. Once tendered, imported wheat will require several months for shipping and distribution. The new domestic wheat crop is not expected until March-May 2027, making the timing of imports crucial to bridging the supply gap.