ISLAMABAD: The recent escalation of tensions in the Middle East is further impacting Pakistan, with inflation accelerating for the second consecutive week after Ramadan.
According to the latest weekly report by the Federal Bureau of Statistics, prices of essential commodities continued to rise, affecting households across the country.
Over the past week, overall inflation increased by 1.01%, up from 0.97% the previous week, and 0.21% in the week before that. On an annual basis, the inflation rate rose from 8.24% to 9.12%. Among essential goods, 15 items became more expensive, while 9 items saw price reductions, and 27 commodities remained stable.
Key price increases included LPG (+13.28%), eggs (+2.23%), chicken (+2.13%), mung beans (+1.74%), mutton (+1.54%), and fresh milk (+0.63%). Meanwhile, the prices of potatoes (-1.22%), tomatoes (-6.03%), onions (-1.21%), garlic (-3.38%), sugar (-0.15%), mustard oil (-0.33%), and flour (-0.92%) saw declines.
The report also highlighted the impact on different income groups. Households earning up to Rs. 17,732 per month experienced a 7.46% annual inflation, while those earning between Rs. 17,733 and Rs. 22,888 saw 9.28% inflation.
Higher-income groups experienced slightly lower increases, with the wealthiest households (over Rs. 44,176 per month) facing 8.70% inflation.
