ISLAMABAD: Inflation continued to put pressure on consumers across Pakistan during the third week of September 2026, as the weekly inflation rate rose by 0.99%, according to the latest figures released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
The data shows that year-on-year inflation increased to 11.92%, up from 10.64% recorded a week earlier, reflecting a continued rise in the cost of living.
According to the PBS report, prices of 20 essential items increased during the week, while 10 items became cheaper and 21 remained unchanged.
Among the products that saw the biggest price jump, electricity recorded a significant increase of 18.76%. Prices of several food and household items also moved higher, including garlic, which rose by 1.57%, LPG by 1.55%, eggs by 2.02%, and chicken by 0.72%.
The report also noted increases in the prices of masoor dal and chana dal, along with everyday essentials such as milk, yogurt, flour, mutton, beef, and washing soap, adding to household expenses.
On the other hand, some commonly used items became more affordable during the week. Tomato prices registered the sharpest decline, falling by 13.45%, followed by potatoes, bananas, and onions. Fuel prices also eased slightly, with high-speed diesel and petrol recording declines, while sugar and salt powder also became cheaper.
The PBS further reported inflation trends across different income groups. Households earning up to Rs17,732 per month experienced a weekly increase of 0.85%, with annual inflation reaching 9.69%.
For families earning between Rs17,733 and Rs22,888 per month, inflation rose by 1.28%, pushing the annual rate to 11.37%. Meanwhile, households in the Rs22,889 to Rs29,517 income bracket recorded a weekly increase of 0.81%, with annual inflation standing at 9.85%.
The income group earning between Rs29,518 and Rs44,175 per month saw inflation rise by 0.62%, taking the annual rate to 10.20%.
For households earning more than Rs44,176 per month, weekly inflation increased by 0.85%, while the annual inflation rate reached 12.31%, the highest among the reported income categories.
The latest figures highlight the ongoing challenge of rising prices, even as some food and fuel items recorded temporary declines during the week.
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