Inflation ticked up in Pakistan this week as prices of food items and fuel continued to rise. The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the combined consumption group rose by 0.73% during the week ending July 3, reaching 312.06 points, up from 309.80 last week, as per the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
Despite the weekly increase, the inflation rate actually fell by 2.06% compared to the same week last year (2024). This annual drop is mainly due to lower prices of staples like tomatoes (down 61%), onions (down 53%), and electricity charges (down 37%). These figures show that some relief has returned to consumers over the year.
However, this week saw a noticeable rise in essential commodities. Chicken rose by 13.05%, onions by 11.62%, tomatoes by 11.09%, and diesel by 3.94%. Other items like potatoes, sugar, and petrol also became costlier. In contrast, LPG dropped 8.53%, while bananas and eggs saw small declines.
Inflation affected all income groups. The lowest-income group (earning up to Rs 17,732/month) saw prices rise by 0.74%. The middle-income brackets saw a similar trend, with increases ranging from 0.72% to 0.80%. Even the highest group (above Rs 44,175) wasn’t spared, experiencing a 0.70% jump in weekly expenses.
On a yearly scale, while many food items became cheaper, several others became significantly more expensive. Sugar rose by nearly 28%, ladies’ sandals by 55%, and beef by 15%. This mix of rising and falling prices paints a complex inflation picture, reflecting both economic stress and seasonal fluctuations.