Pakistan’s short-term inflation rises by 4.07% amid price hikes in gas, tomatoes, and electricity

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's short-term inflation, as measured by the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), rose by 4.07%during the week ending July 24, 2025, compared to the previous week, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). This increase is primarily attributed to a surge in the prices of gas charges, tomatoes, and electricity charges.

The SPI, which tracks the price movement of essential commodities, showed a 2.22% increase on a year-on-year basis. Among the 51 items surveyed, 14 items saw price increases, 12 items decreased, and 25 items remained stable during the week.

Key price increases included:

• Gas charges for Q1, up by 29.85%

• Tomatoes, up by 22.93%

• Electricity charges for Q1, up by 21.46%

• Eggs, up by 3.96%

• Garlic, up by 1.39%

In contrast, price reductions were observed in:

• Chicken, down by 7.95%

• Sugar, down by 4.25%

• Onions, down by 3.05%

• Bananas, down by 2.81%

On a year-on-year comparison, the highest increases were observed in ladies sandals (up 55.62%), gas charges for Q1(up 29.85%), and sugar (up 21.89%), while significant decreases were recorded in onions (down 49.13%), tomatoes(down 30.20%), and electricity charges for Q1 (down 24.23%).

Income group-wise data showed that the lowest income group experienced a weekly inflation increase of 3.98%, while the highest income group saw a rise of 3.03%. On a yearly basis, inflation for the lowest income group increased by 1.64%, while the highest income group faced a rise of 2.37%.

Notably, the average price of Sona urea stood at Rs4,415 per 50 kg bag, showing a 0.53% decrease from the previous week, and a 7.67% decline compared to last year. Meanwhile, the average price of cement increased to Rs1,406 per 50 kg bag, a 1.01% increase from the prior week and 3.68% lower than last year.

The SPI, calculated by the PBS on a weekly basis, reflects the short-term price movements of essential goods across 50 markets in 17 cities.