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KARACHI: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Thursday said stabilizing prices and shielding low-income families from rising costs remained the government’s top priority, as Pakistan struggles with inflationary pressures compounded by recent flood damage to crops.

Punjab, home to more than half of Pakistan’s 240 million people and its main farming belt, has been devastated since late August when record monsoon rains swelled the Ravi, Chenab and Sutlej rivers simultaneously in a historic first. Punjab officials say 79 people have died and nearly two million acres of farmland submerged in the province’s worst flooding in four decades.

Now, as the floodwaters move south into Sindh, the country’s second-largest agricultural province, there are growing concerns for its key crops of cotton, rice and sugarcane, which form the backbone of Pakistan’s textile and food industries.

Economists and traders have warned the floods may elevate food and overall inflation in the coming months due to crop losses and supply chain disruptions.

“Controlling inflation and ensuring price stability remain among the top priorities of the government, especially to safeguard vulnerable and low-income households, including those affected by recent floods,” Aurangzeb said in a statement after the second meeting of the Steering Committee on Inflationary Trends, set up by the prime minister to monitor weekly inflation and coordinate policy responses.

The committee reviewed supplies of essential food items and initial crop damage assessments from this season’s heavy monsoon rains.

Officials noted that wheat stocks were sufficient, while early estimates suggested damage to rice and sugarcane crops was manageable. The minister stressed strict monitoring to prevent speculation and artificial price hikes in key staples such as wheat, sugar, edible oil and vegetables.

The committee also discussed preparations for the upcoming sowing season, emphasizing the timely availability of seeds and other inputs. Aurangzeb directed agencies including the National Disaster Management Authority and Pakistan Bureau of Statistics to work with provincial governments to complete accurate crop damage assessments.

The minister said the committee would meet again next week to track progress and decide further measures.

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting today, Thursday, on Pakistan’s request to discuss Israeli airstrikes in Doha that killed at least six people, including a Qatari security officer, after Pakistan, Algeria and Somalia called for action.

Pakistan condemned Israel’s attack targeting a residential building in Doha that housed Hamas members discussing a Gaza ceasefire proposal floated by the American administration.

Qatar has been a key mediator in ceasefire and hostage negotiations between Israel and Hamas, hosting the group’s political bureau while engaging closely with Washington and Cairo. Israel’s strike has raised fears the Gulf state could scale back or reconsider its mediation role, further complicating efforts to halt the Gaza war.

“The UN Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting on Thursday in response to Israel’s strikes targeting Hamas officials in Qatar, a Arabian Gulf Islamic country,” the state-owned Associated Press of Pakistan said.

It added the event was scheduled to be held at 3 p.m. New York time, which will be midnight in Pakistan.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said in a statement on Wednesday the strikes were a “dangerous escalation in an already volatile region” and urged the Security Council to treat the assault as “a grave threat to international peace and security.”

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had “killed any hope” of releasing hostages still held in the Gaza Strip after Israel attacked Hamas leaders in Doha.

Netanyahu acknowledged the attack, saying it was a “wholly independent Israeli operation” for which his government took “full responsibility.”