The Federal Bureau of Statistics reported that inflation in Pakistan increased by 0.17% last week, bringing the annual inflation rate to 20.09%.
According to the authority, the prices of 19 basic commodities have seen a significant increase, which has affected the cost of living for many households.
According to the authority, prices of key items such as chicken, garlic, daal channa, eggs, meat, milk, firewood and cigarettes have gone up. On the contrary, the prices of eight items, including tomatoes, onions, wheat flour, potatoes, daal masoor and LPG, fell.
The data highlights a remarkable year-over-year increase in prices for several key commodities:
- Onions: 96% increase
- Daal channa: 40% increase
- Milk powder: 39% increase
- Garlic: Increase by 35%
- Moong daal: 29% increase
- Beef: 24% increase
- Salt: Increase by 23%
- Maash daal: 22% increase
One of the most significant increases has been in gas charges, which have risen by a staggering 570% over the past year, putting a huge dent in household budgets.
While many items saw price increases, there were also a few notable decreases. Wheat flour fell by 32%, cooking oil by 13.44%, ghee by 10.42% and eggs by 5.82%. Additionally, basmati rice, tea and mustard oil have also become cheaper.
The latest data from the Federal Bureau of Statistics underscores the volatile nature of commodity prices in Pakistan, with significant swings impacting both consumers and the economy as a whole.
