ISLAMABAD: Short-term inflation in Pakistan rose to 11.97% year-on-year in the week ending October 8, mainly due to higher prices of essential food items, especially wheat flour, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Friday.
The Sensitive Price Index (SPI), which measures weekly changes in the prices of essential goods, increased by 0.57% compared with the previous week. The rise added to the financial pressure on households already struggling with the high cost of living.
According to the official figures, prices of 20 out of 51 essential items increased during the week. Prices of six items declined, while the rates of 25 commodities remained unchanged.
Short-term inflation has stayed in double digits for several weeks. Rising fuel prices and higher transportation costs have contributed to the increase in the prices of food and other daily necessities.
Higher petroleum prices have also increased the cost of transporting goods from farms and factories to markets. These additional expenses have pushed up the prices of vegetables and other essential items. The continued rise in energy costs has also added to inflationary pressure across different sectors of the economy.
Wheat flour recorded the largest weekly increase among the listed essential items, rising by 5.69%. Chicken prices increased by 4.93%, while pulse gram became 3.99% more expensive. Petrol and tomatoes both recorded a 2.40% increase.
Other items that became more expensive included pulse masoor, prepared tea, cooked daal, pulse mash and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
However, some commodities became cheaper during the week. Banana prices fell by 2.81%, while diesel prices declined by 1.37%. Potatoes became 0.89% cheaper, sugar prices dropped by 0.37%, and gur prices decreased by 0.19%. Pulse moong recorded a slight decline of 0.03%.
The annual figures showed even sharper increases in the prices of several essential items. Onion prices surged by 100.24% compared with the same period last year. LPG prices rose by 68.55%, while electricity charges for the first quarter increased by 58.59%.
Petrol prices increased by 47.52% year-on-year, while diesel became 42.52% more expensive. Wheat flour prices also rose by 32.60%, making it increasingly difficult for many households to manage their food budgets.
Other items that recorded annual price increases included chilli powder, mutton, beef, chicken, plain bread and curd.
In contrast, several commodities recorded lower prices compared with the previous year. Potato prices fell by 39.51%, while tomatoes became 37.07% cheaper. Sugar prices declined by 22.44%, and egg prices dropped by 18.88%. Powdered salt, pulse masoor, gur and pulse moong also recorded annual decreases.
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal expressed concern over rising prices during a meeting of the National Price Monitoring Committee on Thursday. He directed provincial and district administrations to improve market monitoring and ensure the availability of essential commodities at reasonable prices.
He also called for strict checks on supplies, market arrivals, hoarding, profiteering and unjustified price increases.
The latest figures highlight the continuing pressure on household budgets as food and energy costs remain high. Although some commodities have become cheaper, increases in wheat flour, chicken and other necessities continue to affect consumers.
The Sensitive Price Index tracks the weekly prices of 51 essential goods and services. Data is collected from 50 markets across 17 cities to monitor changes in the cost of everyday items.
