Pakistan inflation rises to 5.8% in January, PBS data shows

Pakistan’s headline inflation accelerated to 5.8% year-on-year in January 2026, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, marking a marginal increase from 5.6% recorded in December.

On a month-on-month basis, consumer prices rose by 0.4% in January, reversing a 0.4% decline seen in December, reflecting renewed price pressures at the start of the year.

The PBS data showed that inflation remained uniform across regions, with both urban and rural areas posting a year-on-year increase of 5.8%, while rural inflation edged up slightly compared to the previous month.

Despite the uptick, the January reading remained within the government’s projected range of 5% to 6%, consistent with earlier assessments by the finance ministry and the State Bank of Pakistan.

Inflation has eased significantly compared with levels seen last year, supporting the central bank’s assessment that price pressures are broadly contained even as economic activity shows signs of recovery.

Data also indicated that average inflation during the first seven months of the current fiscal year was lower than the corresponding period last year, pointing to a continued moderation in overall price trends.