Pakistan’s weekly inflation increased by 0.37 per cent for the week ending March 5, 2026, driven largely by higher prices of chicken, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and petrol, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) is calculated on a weekly basis to assess the price movements of essential commodities at a shorter interval of time to review the price situation in the country.

SPI comprises 51 essential items, the prices for which are being collected from 50 markets in 17 cities of the country.

Food and fuel push prices higher

Among the items that registered the sharpest increases during the week, chicken prices rose 10.46pc, making it the largest contributor to the overall rise in the SPI.

Energy costs also moved upward, with LPG prices increasing 5.61pc, petrol rising 3.06pc, and diesel climbing 1.84pc over the week.

Other food items that recorded notable increases included:

• Bananas: up 3.85pc
• Garlic: up 1.23pc
• Beef: up 0.66pc
• Mutton: up 0.65pc
• Pulse mash: up 0.51pc

Prices of mustard oil, gur, and printed lawn fabric also registered smaller increases during the week.

Vegetables provide some relief

Despite the overall increase, several key food staples posted declines, helping to moderate the rise in the weekly index.

The steepest drop was recorded in tomato prices, which fell 10.04pc week-on-week.

Other notable declines included:

• Eggs: down 8.13pc
• Onions: down 6.08pc
• Potatoes: down 5.09pc
• Wheat flour: down 2.40pc

Prices of pulse gram, pulse moong, and cooking oil also decreased slightly during the week.

Overall, out of the 51 tracked items, prices of 13 items increased, 11 items decreased, and 27 items remained unchanged.

Annual inflation remains moderate

On a year-on-year basis, the SPI rose 4.70pc compared with the same week last year.

Major increases over the past year were observed in:

• Gas: charges, up 29.85pc
• Wheat flour: up 26.13pc
• Electricity charges: up 17.33pc
• LPG: up 16.89pc
• Chilies powder: up 15.20pc

Meanwhile, several food items recorded substantial declines compared with a year earlier, including:

• Potatoes: down 53.76pc
• Onions: down 26.10pc
• Eggs: down 24.93pc
• Garlic: down 22.25pc
• Chicken: down 21.70pc

Impact across income groups

The weekly increase in inflation affected households differently across income brackets. The highest expenditure group saw the largest week-on-week increase of 0.53pc, while the lowest income group recorded no change during the week.

On a yearly basis, however, inflation pressures remained stronger for lower-income households. The second-lowest consumption quintile experienced the highest annual increase at 5.95pc, while the highest-income group saw a 3.58pc rise.

The latest data suggests that while overall inflation remains relatively contained compared with previous years, food and energy price volatility continues to drive short-term fluctuations in weekly inflation readings.