ISLAMABAD: Consumer inflation moderated to 6.1 per cent in November from 6.2pc in October, driven by a slight decline in the prices of pulses and rice, official figures released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) showed on Monday.

The slowdown in the inflation trend over the past month is largely attributed to a sharp decline in the prices of essential perishable food items. On a month-on-month basis, inflation increased by 0.4 per cent compared to the previous month.

The inflation between July and November was recorded at 5.01pc this fiscal year, the lowest compared to 7.88pc over the corresponding months of last year.

This lower rate is also because of the high base effect of last year.

Despite the month-on-month increase, average annual inflation for FY25 dropped sharply to 4.49pc from 23.41pc in the previous year, aided by a high base effect, declining food prices, and lower transport costs.

Economists describe the current trend as disinflation — a slowdown in the pace of rising prices, not a general decrease as seen in deflation — though the cost of living remains high for many households.

Inflation had previously fallen into single digits in August 2024 — at 9.6pc — for the first time in over three years, continuing a declining trend until the recent rebound. The government has projected an inflation target of 7pc for the current fiscal year.

Food inflation in November increased by 5pc in urban areas and 5.9pc in rural areas, while non-food inflation reached 6.7pc in urban areas and in rural regions. This marks that non-food inflation is still very high.

In November, core inflation — excluding volatile food and energy components — stood at 6.6pc in urban areas and 8.2pc in rural areas.

Urban food items that saw notable month-on-month price increases included onions (47.94pc), chicken (17.36pc), eggs (7.92pc), fish (2.94pc), potatoes (2.67pc), fresh fruits (2.27pc), dry fruits (1.90pc), meat (1.81pc), wheat products (1.61pc), cooking oil (1.55pc), wheat (1.12pc) and milk products (0.98pc).

Conversely, declines were noted in tomatoes (53.31pc), pulse gram (7.69pc), fresh vegetables (5.90pc), besan (4.68pc), gram whole (2.37pc), pulse moong (1.98pc), beans (1.79pc), gur (1.46pc), pulse mash (0.97pc), pulse masoor (0.94pc), rice (0.84pc), condiments & spices (0.49pc) and wheat flour (0.32pc).

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2025