Pakistan’s short-term inflation edged up during the week ended August 27, 2026, as higher fuel, energy and food prices outweighed declines in several key vegetables and poultry, according to the latest data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), which tracks weekly changes in the prices of essential household items, rose by 0.05 percent compared with the previous week. On a yearly basis, the index was 9.04 percent higher.
The biggest weekly increase was recorded in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which climbed 3.46 percent. Diesel prices rose 2.44 percent, followed by electricity charges for the first quarter at 2.06 percent and petrol at 1.71 percent. Prices also increased for gram pulse, wheat flour, eggs, mustard oil, masoor pulse, prepared tea, mash pulse and beef.
In contrast, consumers received some relief as tomato prices dropped 18.65 percent during the week. Chicken became cheaper by 4.41 percent, while onion prices declined 2.87 percent. Bananas, garlic, IRRI rice, broken basmati rice and potatoes also recorded lower prices.
Out of the 51 essential items monitored by the PBS, prices of 20 items increased, 11 declined and 20 remained unchanged over the week.
Compared with the same week last year, onions posted the sharpest increase, surging 125.86 percent. LPG prices were up 55.66 percent, while wheat flour rose 45.28 percent. Tomatoes, diesel, petrol and electricity charges also recorded significant annual increases. Meat products, including mutton and beef, along with bananas and plain bread, were also more expensive than a year ago.
On the other hand, potato prices were 31.33 percent lower than last year. Chicken, sugar, eggs, powdered salt, gram pulse, masoor pulse and gur also recorded notable annual declines.
The PBS data further showed that the average price of a 50-kilogram bag of Sona urea remained unchanged from the previous week at Rs4,684, although it was 6.81 percent higher than a year earlier.
Meanwhile, the average price of a 50-kilogram bag of cement fell 0.59 percent over the week to Rs1,549 but remained 9.88 percent higher compared with the same period last year.
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