The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) released its monthly report, showing that inflation increased by 1.18% in March compared to February. The annual inflation rate for March 2026 rose to 7.30%, the highest since August 2024.
According to the PBS report, the average inflation during the first nine months of the current fiscal year (July 2025 – March 2026) stood at 5.67%. For comparison, February 2026 recorded an annual inflation rate of 6.98%, while March 2025 had just 0.7%.
Rural areas saw monthly inflation of 0.96%, while urban centers recorded 1.34%. The annual inflation in rural regions rose to 7.17%, and in cities to 7.39%.
The Federal Ministry of Finance had estimated inflation for March to range between 7.5% and 8%.