Pakistan’s weekly inflation increased 0.49% as higher diesel, petrol and LPG prices pushed the Sensitive Price Indicator upwards.
ISLAMABAD, September 18, 2026: Pakistan’s weekly inflation, measured by the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), increased 0.49% week-on-week during the week ended September 17, 2026, mainly due to higher fuel prices, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
The SPI recorded a 10.64% year-on-year increase during the week under review.
The PBS calculates the SPI weekly to track short-term changes in the prices of essential commodities. The indicator covers 51 essential items collected from 50 markets in 17 cities across Pakistan.
Fuel prices drive weekly inflation
According to the PBS, diesel recorded the largest weekly increase, with prices rising 7.29%, followed by petrol at 6.40% and LPG at 3.26%.
Prices of garlic increased 1.94%, while eggs rose 1.72%. Pulse gram prices increased 0.80%, plain bread 0.74%, pulse masoor 0.49%, mustard oil 0.44%, pulse moong 0.39%, mutton 0.26% and firewood 0.07%.
Several food items, however, became cheaper during the week. Banana prices fell 6.17%, followed by tomatoes at 5.66% and onions at 4.57%.
Chicken prices declined 2.33%, while powdered milk, wheat flour, IRRI-6/9 rice and sugar fell by 0.40%, 0.28%, 0.16% and 0.14%, respectively.
Of the 51 items monitored under the SPI, 19 recorded price increases, nine recorded decreases and 23 remained unchanged.
Lowest-income group sees price decline
The weekly inflation trend differed across consumption groups.
The lowest consumption quintile, Q1, recorded a 0.14% decline, while Q2 posted a marginal increase of 0.01%. Prices increased by 0.14% for Q3, 0.30% for Q4 and 0.77% for the highest consumption group, Q5.
On a year-on-year basis, inflation stood at 8.79% for Q1, 9.91% for Q2, 8.86% for Q3, 9.37% for Q4 and 11.13% for Q5.
Annual SPI inflation remains elevated
The overall SPI increased 10.64% year-on-year during the week ended September 17.
Onions recorded the largest annual increase, with prices rising 117.77%, followed by LPG at 60.42%, diesel at 54.21% and petrol at 48.00%.
Other notable year-on-year increases included electricity for Q1 at 33.54%, wheat flour at 33.27%, chilli powder at 16.37%, mutton at 15.86%, beef at 12.88%, bananas at 9.24%, plain bread at 8.89% and fresh milk at 8.12%.
Meanwhile, several commodities were cheaper than a year earlier. Potatoes recorded the largest decline at 35.31%, followed by sugar at 20.95%, eggs at 19.31% and chicken at 15.26%.
Salt powder prices fell 13.96%, while pulse gram, pulse masoor and pulse moong declined by 12.42%, 11.26% and 8.49%, respectively.