ISLAMABAD: Short-term inflation, measured by the Sensitive Price Index (SPI), rose by 9.11 per cent year-on-year for the week ending Aug 13, mainly due to rising prices of non-perishable food products, according to official data released on Friday.
Short-term inflation has been rising consecutively, mainly driven by steady fluctuations in daily petroleum prices. As a result, transportation costs have increased over the period of last few weeks. This increase in transportation prices has also been reflected in the prices of essential food items.
On a week-on-week basis, the index increased by 0.5pc, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
The overall SPI showed a broad-based rise, indicating continued pressure on the cost of living. The increase was largely driven by sharp gains in key items on a year-on-year basis, including tomatoes (143.77pc), onions (125.75pc), wheat flour (77.41pc), diesel (34.05pc), petrol (23.02pc), LPG 55.41pc and beef (13.42pc).
Food inflation remained elevated, with notable increases in the prices of onions, tomatoes, potatoes, mutton, beef and wheat flour.
The SPI has now recorded an increase for the 70th consecutive week. Although the pace of growth has slowed, it reflects sustained pressure on consumers.
The items whose prices increased the most over the previous week included onions (24.68pc), pulse gram (3.35pc), chicken (2.45pc), LPG (0.67pc), tea Lipton (0.63pc), mustard oil (0.45pc), curd (0.34pc), pulse masoor (0.24pc), garlic (0.22pc) and washing soap (0.11pc).
The items whose prices saw a decline week-on-week included petrol (2.35pc), tomatoes (1.26pc), potatoes (0.73pc), bananas (0.36pc), pulse moong (0.35pc), diesel (0.29pc), pulse mash (0.27pc), eggs (0.19pc), sugar (0.11pc) and gur (0.10pc).
However, on an annual basis, the items whose prices increased the most were tomatoes (143.77pc), onions (125.75pc), wheat flour (77.41pc), LPG (55.41pc), diesel (34.05pc), petrol (23.02pc), bananas (17.65pc), gents sponge chappal (16.69pc), chilli powder (16.37pc), mutton (15.98pc), beef (13.42pc) and bread plain (9.37pc).
In contrast, the prices of potatoes dropped 30pc, followed by sugar (17.93pc), chicken (17.45pc), pulse gram (14.39pc), salt powder (13.96pc), pulse masoor (12.56pc), eggs (11.70pc) and pulse moong (5.89pc).
The index, comprising 51 items collected from 50 markets in 17 cities, is computed weekly to assess the prices of essential commodities and services at shorter intervals. Data showed that the prices of 20 items increased, nine decreased, and 22 remained stable compared to the previous week.
Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2026
