ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s weekly short-term inflation climbed to 11.97 per cent year-on-year for the week ending October 8, propelled primarily by escalating food prices, most notably wheat flour, according to official data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
On a week-on-week basis, the Sensitive Price Index (SPI) rose by 0.57 per cent, illustrating ongoing price volatility across an array of monitored food and non-food commodities.
Breakdown of Essential Commodities
The PBS tracks the weekly price movements of 51 essential items across major urban centers. During the week under review, the prices of 20 commodities — representing 39.22 per cent of the total basket — recorded increases.
In contrast, only six commodities (11.76 per cent) witnessed price declines, while the prices of 25 commodities (49.02 per cent) remained stable compared to the preceding week.
Energy Costs Fuel Sustained Double-Digit Trajectory
Short-term inflation has sustained a double-digit rate for multiple consecutive weeks. The persistent momentum has been largely maintained by successive upward revisions in domestic petroleum prices.
Reluctant to reduce the petroleum levy, the government has continued raising petrol and diesel prices. The sustained rise in energy expenses is accelerating broader inflationary pressures across supply chains.
Beyond consumers, tax analysts observe that elevated inflation indirectly bolsters the government’s revenue intake through increased sales tax collections on higher-priced goods and services.
Surging Transportation Hits Fresh Produce
Higher fuel rates have resulted in unprecedented spikes in transport costs, which have subsequently filtered down into wholesale and retail markets for perishable food items. The pass-through effect has placed considerable upward pressure on essential vegetables, including onions, tomatoes, and other fresh produce.
The compounding pressure of essential food items led to high-level discussions within the administration. Chairing a meeting of the National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC), Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal expressed serious concern over the unabated rise in the prices of essential commodities across the country.
