ISLAMABAD: Inflation in Pakistan continues to surge amid rising tensions in the Middle East, with the weekly inflation rate increasing by 1.93 per cent, compared to 1.01 per cent in the previous week.
According to official data, the annual inflation rate has also climbed from 9.12 per cent to 12.15 per cent, reflecting a growing burden on consumers across the country.
During the past week, prices of 28 essential items increased, while eight items became cheaper and 15 remained stable. Fuel prices saw a sharp rise, with diesel increasing by 54.71 per cent, petrol by 17.86 per cent and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by 8.61 per cent.
Among food items, tomato prices rose by 9.35 per cent, potatoes by 4.13 per cent, onions by 3.84 per cent and eggs by 3.77 per cent. Prices of beef, mutton, bread and cooked lentils also recorded an increase.
On the other hand, some relief was observed as prices of chicken, flour, ghee and cooking oil declined. Garlic prices dropped by 3.78 per cent, while bananas became cheaper by 3.39 per cent.
Data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics shows that inflation trends varied across income groups. For households earning up to Rs17,732 per month, inflation rose by 0.75 per cent to 9.33 per cent on an annual basis. For those earning between Rs17,733 and Rs22,888, the rate increased by 1.02 per cent to 11.50 per cent.
Similarly, inflation for income groups earning between Rs22,889 and Rs29,517 rose by 1.17 per cent to 10.51 per cent, while those earning between Rs29,518 and Rs44,175 saw an increase of 1.56 per cent, bringing the rate to 10.61 per cent.
Economists warn that continued global uncertainty, particularly in the Middle East, may further impact fuel and commodity prices in the coming weeks.
