Pakistan’s short-term inflation rose 4.18% year-on-year as food prices kept cost pressures high for households. The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, showed the continued burden on family budgets. On a weekly basis, SPI fell 0.48%, mainly due to cheaper vegetables, LPG, and pulses, but overall costs remain elevated.
Food items accounted for most of the weekly price movements. Vegetables, pulses, edible oils, and staple foods showed significant volatility, while non-food items, particularly energy-related inputs like gas and firewood, added further pressure. Analysts noted these trends signal persistent inflationary risks for urban and rural consumers alike.
Read more: Weekly inflation rises as flour and pulses become costlier
During the week ending January 22, 2026, prices fell for chicken by 16.68%, potatoes 8.52%, onions 7.27%, LPG 3.54%, salt 1.52%, vegetable ghee 0.87%, and cooking oil 0.53%. Meanwhile, prices rose for tomatoes by 9.83%, bananas 3.66%, wheat flour 2.27%, eggs 1.02%, firewood 0.56%, and sugar 0.14%, reflecting localized supply challenges.
Year-on-year, sharp increases were recorded in wheat flour (38.60%), eggs (35.99%), Q1 gas charges (29.85%), beef (12.75%), tomatoes (10.02%), bananas (9.94%), and powdered milk (9.79%). In contrast, potatoes fell 47.26%, garlic 36.28%, onions 35.55%, pulse gram 29.79%, tea 17.79%, chicken 16.79%, and diesel 1.27%, showing mixed inflationary trends across essentials.
Read more: Weekly inflation rises 3.8% amid surge in food and fuel prices
Out of 51 essential items tracked in 50 markets across 17 urban centres, 12 saw price increases, 11 declined, and 28 remained unchanged. Analysts warn that continued fluctuations in food and energy prices could keep household expenses under pressure in the coming months, especially in low- and middle-income segments.