Pakistan’s short-term inflation recorded a small increase in the first week of March, mainly driven by higher food and fuel prices, according to new official data.
Figures released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) show that the Sensitive Price Indicator rose by 0.37 percent during the week ending March 5, 2026.
The increase came largely from a sharp rise in chicken prices, which went up by 10.46 percent in just one week. Liquefied petroleum gas also became more expensive, with prices rising by 5.61 percent.
Other items that recorded noticeable increases included bananas, petrol and diesel. Prices of garlic, beef and mutton also went up slightly. Some household items such as mustard oil and gur also recorded small increases during the week.
However, several commonly used food items became cheaper. Tomato prices fell by 10.04 percent, while eggs dropped by 8.13 percent. Onions and potatoes also became less expensive, declining by 6.08 percent and 5.09 percent respectively.
Wheat flour saw a drop of 2.40 percent during the week, offering some relief to households. Small declines were also recorded in gram, moong and cooking oil prices.
Out of the 51 items monitored in the index, prices of 13 items increased during the week while 11 items became cheaper. The remaining 27 items showed no change.
On a yearly basis, the data shows that short-term inflation was 4.70 percent higher compared with the same week last year.
The largest yearly increase was seen in gas charges for the first quarter, which were nearly 30 percent higher. Wheat flour prices were up by more than 26 percent, while electricity charges also rose by over 17 percent.
Other items that recorded notable yearly increases include chilli powder, beef, powdered milk and mutton.
At the same time, several food items became much cheaper compared with last year. Potato prices dropped by more than 53 percent, while onions fell by about 26 percent. Eggs, garlic and chicken also recorded major declines over the year.
Outside food items, the average price of Sona urea remained unchanged at Rs4,431 per 50 kg bag compared with last week. The price was about 2.08 percent lower than last year.
Cement prices, however, increased slightly to an average of Rs1,428 per 50 kg bag. This was 0.17 percent higher than the previous week and about 6.47 percent higher compared with last year.
The Sensitive Price Indicator tracks the weekly prices of 51 essential items collected from 50 markets across 17 cities. The data helps authorities monitor short-term price changes and review the cost of living situation more closely.
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