ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s weekly inflation registered a marginal decline of 0.04%, while the year-on-year inflation rate stood at 11.38%, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
The PBS report showed that prices of 23 essential commodities increased during the week, while seven items recorded a decrease.
Chicken prices climbed by 3.31%, followed by eggs, which became 0.99% more expensive. Mash lentils rose by 0.98%, masoor lentils by 0.95%, firewood by 0.69% and tea by 0.28%.
The prices of chana lentils and flour recorded increases of 4.97% and 3.36%, respectively.
On the other hand, tomato prices fell sharply by 23.05% during the week. Onions became 4.90% cheaper and bananas declined by 2.59%. Broken Basmati rice prices dropped by 0.65%, sugar by 0.62% and gur (jaggery) by 0.36%.
Annual price trends
Compared with the same period last year, onion prices surged by 75.19%, while gas prices increased by 68.95%. Base electricity tariffs rose by 58.59%, and diesel became 43.98% more expensive.
Flour prices increased by 35.13% year-on-year, while chicken prices rose by 20.7%. Chili powder and mutton recorded increases of 15.55% and 14.90%, respectively, while beef prices went up by 12.27%.
The cost of plain bread (loaf) increased by 9.02% over the year, while prepared tea became 8.36% more expensive.
However, several commodities recorded substantial annual declines. Tomato prices fell by 63.65%, potatoes by 39.93% and sugar by 23.20%.
Egg prices dropped by 19.83%, powdered salt by 14.86% and masoor lentils by 8.97% compared with the previous year.
Gur prices decreased by 8.92%, while moong lentils became 7.83% cheaper on an annual basis.
