Essential goods have experienced a notable increase in price due to the discontinuation of the targeted subsidy offered at Utility Stores throughout Pakistan to low-income consumers under the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP).
Millions of beneficiaries—especially in areas like south Punjab and Karachi—are finding it difficult to pay for needs as a result of the change.
Utility stores in Multan, which formerly provided subsidized supplies to 600,000 BISP beneficiaries, have witnessed a dramatic drop in consumer traffic as the cost of basic necessities like bread, sugar, and ghee has risen.
According to reports, sugar from Utility Stores is being offered for Rs155 per kg, whereas it costs Rs135 per kg on the general market.
