Pakistan CPI inflation up 10.3pc year on year in September

Pakistan's Consumer Price Index-based inflation registered an increase of 10.3 per cent year on year in September 2026, compared with an increase of 5.8 per cent in September 2025 and 11.1 per cent in the previous month, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. On a month-on-month basis, CPI increased by 1.3 per cent in September 2026, compared with an increase of 1.2 per cent in the previous month and 2.1 per cent in September 2025.

CPI inflation (Urban) registered an increase of 10.1 per cent year on year in September 2026, compared with 10.4 per cent in the previous month and 5.7 per cent in September 2025. CPI inflation (Rural) increased by 10.5 per cent year on year, compared with 12.2 per cent in the previous month and 5.9 per cent in September 2025. Measured by non-food, non-energy (Urban), inflation increased by 8.6 per cent year on year, compared with 8.8 per cent in the previous month and 7 per cent in September 2025; non-food, non-energy (Rural) inflation increased by 8.1 per cent, compared with 8.5 per cent in the previous month and 7.8 per cent in September 2025. The 20% weighted trimmed mean (Urban) increased by 9.4 per cent year on year, compared with 8.9 per cent in the previous month and 5.7 per cent in September 2025; the 20% weighted trimmed mean (Rural) increased by 9.4 per cent, compared with 9.1 per cent in the previous month and 6.5 per cent in September 2025.

On a monthly basis, prices of food commodities that witnessed an increase included onions 29.17 per cent, wheat 3.86 per cent, besan 2.74 per cent, wheat flour 2.28 per cent and pulse gram 1.82 per cent. Prices that witnessed a reduction included tomatoes 24.67 per cent, chicken 8.14 per cent, eggs 5.92 per cent, potatoes 4.19 per cent and pulse moong 2.09 per cent. Among non-food commodities, electricity charges increased 15.28 per cent, motor fuel 10.76 per cent, liquefied hydrocarbons 5.37 per cent, accommodation services 2.26 per cent, personal effects 1.24 per cent, drugs/medicines 0.98 per cent and woollen cloth 0.80 per cent. Transport services fell 0.81 per cent and textbooks 0.60 per cent.

On an annual basis, food commodity prices that witnessed an increase included onions 125.48 per cent, wheat 40.96 per cent, wheat flour 31.71 per cent, wheat products 16.03 per cent and fresh fruits 14.75 per cent. Reductions included potatoes 30.34 per cent, chicken 20.92 per cent, eggs 20.19 per cent, sugar 19.94 per cent and pulse gram 13.49 per cent. Among non-food commodities, liquefied hydrocarbons rose 57.14 per cent, motor vehicle tax 38.68 per cent, motor fuel 37.73 per cent, postal services 33.07 per cent and electricity charges 32.46 per cent. Only textbook prices witnessed a reduction on an annual basis, declining by 1.55 per cent.

Wholesale Price Index inflation increased by 13.3 per cent year on year in September 2026, compared with an increase of 11.8 per cent in the previous month and 0.6 per cent in September 2025. SPI-based inflation increased by 8.4 per cent year on year, compared with an increase of 9.5 per cent in the previous month and 4.5 per cent in September 2025. On a month-on-month basis, WPI increased by 1.9 per cent and SPI-based inflation by 1 per cent.