PESHAWAR: Inflation in Pakistan, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), has further climbed by 0.39% and reached 12.96% at the end of January, marking the highest level during the past two years.
The PBS data shows that the average inflation rate from July to January was 10.26% compared to 12.3%in December 2021 and 5.7%in January 2021. The reports said the prices of cooking oil have increased 54.33%, ghee by 47.4% and lentils by 41.3% on an annual basis. The data provides that the prices of fruits have increased by 28.35%. Beside this, vegetables and chicken also witness increased in prices.
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According to the report, wheat became more expensive by 2.68 per cent on a monthly basis, meat by 1.78 per cent, fruits by 4.11 per cent, pulses by 6.13 per cent and lentils by 3.37 per cent, while electricity charges increased by 56.20 per cent. The PBS report said the prices of motor fuel rose by 36.22 per cent, plastic products rose by 11.72 per cent and ready-made garments by 13.03 per cent.
The opposition political parties have strongly criticised the government over high inflation. Yesterday, the Jamaat-e-Islami has announced 101 sit-ins across the country against inflation and unemployment. The JI said that there would be a march on Islamabad for the decisive 101st sit-in which would be announced later.
The Information Secretary said that the sit-ins in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Sindh will be announced later. The protest movement and sit-ins will continue from February 6 to March 27, the first sit-in will be held in Gujarat on February 6 and Sheikhupura on February 13.
According to the data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) in December, the prices of fuel, electricity, transport, house rent and some food items remained high. The rate was much higher in urban areas than in rural areas. Economists say that the biggest victims of the current wave of inflation are the lower middle class living in major cities whose sources of income are extremely scarce but their costs are much higher because of living in cities. Of these, expensive food, transport, electricity bills and house rents are of high importance on which they spent a large part of the income is spent.
