Weekly inflation hits 14.47pc
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ISLAMABAD: Short-term inflation, measured by the Sensitive Price Index (SPI), increased by 14.47 per cent year-on-year for the week ending May 21, mainly due to higher retail prices of perishable food items and wheat flour, according to official data released on Friday by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
The SPI showed a broad-based rise, indicating continued pressure on the cost of living. The increase was largely driven by sharp gains in key items, including petrol (62.24pc), diesel (60.90pc), electricity charges (43.30pc), wheat flour (59.45pc), and liquefied petroleum gas (50.73pc).
Food inflation remained elevated, with notable increases in the prices of onions, tomatoes, potatoes, mutton, beef and powdered milk. However, some relief was observed in pulses, sugar and eggs, which recorded relatively lower prices.
Energy-related costs continued to weigh on household budgets and push up transport expenses across the economy. The SPI recorded an increase for the 41st consecutive week. Although the pace of growth has slowed, it reflects sustained pressure on consumers.
Week-on-week, the index declined by 0.33pc, according to the PBS.
The items, whose prices increased the most over the previous week included tomatoes (7.17pc), onions (6.08pc), wheat flour (1.84pc), long cloth (0.97pc), georgette (0.95pc), potatoes (0.87pc), cooked daal (0.72pc), tea prepared (0.42pc), cooking oil 5-litre and curd (0.34pc) each, shirting (0.14pc) and lawn printed (0.06pc).
The items whose prices saw a decline week-on-week included chicken (8.58pc), electricity charges for Q1 (6.08pc), garlic (3.53pc), pulse moong (1.45pc), petrol and diesel (1.21pc) each, LPG (0.87pc), pulse gram (0.26pc), bananas (0.18pc), eggs (0.10pc) and pulse mash (0.01pc).
However, on an annual basis, the items whose prices increased the most onions (68.33pc), petrol (62.24pc), diesel (60.90pc), wheat flour (59.45pc), LPG (50.73pc), electricity charges for Q1 (43.30pc), tomatoes (34.58pc), mutton (15.86pc), chillies powder (15.20pc), garlic (13.39pc), beef (12.92pc) and bananas (10.55pc).
In contrast, the prices of potatoes dropped 42.08pc, followed by eggs (24.47pc), pulse gram (21.84pc), chicken (21.79pc), sugar (14.95pc), salt powder (13.26pc), pulse masoor (11.83pc) and pulse moong (4.21pc).
Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026
