KARACHI, April 18: People in major cities of Sindh endured a high rate of inflation as compared to other parts of the country.

The State Bank issued the inflation monitor for March on Thursday, putting major cities on two categories of high and low inflation.

Nawabshah, the stronghold of President Asif Alif Zardari, remained a major victim of high food inflation which stood at 13.9pc in March, year-on-year basis. Average food inflation for March was 6.3pc.

Nawabshah was also subjected to second highest inflation (Consumer Price Index-CPI) compared to all parts of the country during the same month.

Mithi, another part of Sindh, showed highest main inflation city-wise. The main inflation (CPI) was 13.3pc in this city while average inflation for March is 6.6pc year-on-year basis.

Other cities of the province, except Karachi, faced the same fate.

While the main inflation continued to slide during the current fiscal year, most parts of Sindh are facing price-hike in all the three categories of inflation; general inflation, food inflation and non-food inflation.

Sukkar, another major city of the province, witnessed food inflation of 10.9pc and main inflation of 8pc, both higher than the average food inflation and general inflation for March.

Larkana and Dadu also showed 7pc inflation which is higher than the average inflation, but food inflation was different in the two cities. In Dadu, it was 8.3pc while the same was 5.1pc in March.

Hyderabad noted 8pc food inflation.

However, Karachi, the biggest city of Sindh as well as Pakistan, received low inflation, as both general and food inflation remained at 5.7pc, which was lower than the average inflation.

The city-wise inflation also reflected difficulties in areas hit by terrorism and poor law and order situation which aggravated inflation, particularly the food inflation.

The cities of Balochistan, except Quetta, were hit by high inflation, both food and general.

According to the report, food inflation in Turbat and Gawadar was 11.9pc and 11.2pc, respectively. Similarly, main inflation was 10.1pc and 9.3pc for the two cities, respectively.

Quetta is an exception as both general and food inflations were below average inflation for March.

D G Khan and Mardan were also victim of high inflation as main inflation was 11.1pc and 10pc respectively while food inflation for the two cities was 7.7 and 8.8pc.

In most cities of Punjab, both main and food inflation were lower than the average inflation for March.

Inflation in Gujranwala was (CPI-2.6pc, food 2.4pc), Wazirabad (CPI-3.1pc, F-2.2pc), Jhelum (5.1 and 3.8pc), Multan (5.3 and 5.5pc), Lahore (5.4 and 4.5pc), Faisalabad (5.5 and 7pc) and Sargodha (5.7 and 3.7pc).