Inflation surges as prices of 13 essential items increase

2026-03-06 - 22:33

Wave of inflation intensified during the third week of Ramadan as prices of several essential commodities, including chicken, gas, petrol, and diesel, recorded further increases. According to the latest weekly report issued by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the annual inflation rate has reached 4.70 percent. The report stated that the weekly inflation rate increased by 0.37 percent during the review period, reflecting a rise in the cost of several essential goods across the country. According to the data, prices of 13 items increased over the past week, while 11 items witnessed a decline and the prices of 27 items remained stable. Among the items that saw the most notable increase was chicken, whose price rose by Rs35.48 per kilogram during the week. Similarly, the price of a domestic LPG cylinder increased by nearly Rs200. The report further revealed that the price of bananas increased by more than Rs7 per dozen, while garlic became approximately Rs6.50 per kilogram more expensive. Other items that recorded price hikes included beef, mutton, jaggery, and cigarettes. Energy products also saw an upward trend, with petrol prices increasing by Rs8 per litre and diesel prices rising by Rs5.16 per litre.