ISLAMABAD, Sept 5: Weekly inflation measured through sensitive price index (SPI) surged by 31.55 per cent during the week ended on Sept 4 over the corresponding week of last year, Statistics Division said on Friday.
The surge in inflation occurred on the back of highest ever increase in food items, coupled with higher domestic oil prices. However, inflation recorded an increase of 0.53 per cent over the previous week.
The government is unwilling to reduce oil prices in the domestic market although it dipped from $147 per barrel to $105 per barrel in international market.
The possible decrease in oil prices would have an impact on transport fares and other food commodities prices.
The SPI data showed that the worst hit were households with Rs3, 000 monthly income.
The SPI witnessed an increase of 33.18 per cent and 32.02 per cent for households in income brackets of up to Rs3,000 and Rs3,001 to Rs5,000, respectively.
For households in the income brackets of Rs5,001 to 12,000, the increase was in the range of 31.65 per cent, and for households in the income basket of over Rs12,000, inflation registered a growth of 31.54 per cent over the week last year.
The price of banana rose by 31.59 per cent to Rs56.11 per dozen from Rs42.64, onions by 21.33 per cent to Rs31.97 per kg from Rs26.35, chicken by 3.52 per cent to Rs108.35 per kg from Rs104.67 and potatoes 2.91 per cent to Rs26.86 per kg from Rs26.10 during the week under review.
Lifebouy price went up by 2.86 per cent to Rs20.83 per cake from Rs20, garlic by 1.56 per cent to Rs44.80 per kg from Rs44.11, LPG 11kg cylinder by 0.86 per cent to Rs952.76 each against Rs944.65 and gur by 0.74 per cent to Rs35.63 per kg against Rs35.37.Firewood price increased by 0.47 per cent to Rs252.18 per 40 kg from Rs251, shirting by 0.38pc to Rs75.91 each against Rs75.62, beef by 0.36pc to Rs135.61 per kg from Rs135.12 and mutton by 0.18pc to Rs251.15 per kg from Rs250.56.
The price of masoor was up by 0.18 per cent to Rs122.60 per kg from Rs122.38, milk fresh by 0.17pc to Rs35.37 per kg from Rs35.31, curd by 0.14pc to Rs42.28 per kg from Rs42.22 and mash pulse washed by 0.08pc to Rs75.02 per kg from Rs74.96.