ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s weekly inflation, measured by the Sensitive Price Index (SPI), remained nearly unchanged for the week ending August 21, 2025, dipping slightly by 0.01 percent. This follows a 0.31 percent rise the previous week, indicating that prices are fluctuating rather than stabilising.
For shoppers, the picture is mixed. While some essentials became more affordable, others surged sharply, taking households by surprise.
What got cheaper
The most noticeable relief came from electricity charges, which fell by 9.01 percent. Diesel followed with a 4.46 percent cut, while staple items like moong pulse, potatoes, bananas, mash and gram pulse saw small but welcome drops. Masoor also eased slightly, slipping 0.45 percent.
What got pricier
On the flip side, tomatoes went through the roof, jumping nearly 20 percent in just one week. Onions weren’t far behind with a 10.85 percent surge. Wheat flour spiked 9.38 percent, while chicken, garlic and sugar all became costlier. Even LPG prices ticked up.
Out of the 51 items tracked, 18 saw increases, eight dropped, and 25 stayed the same. That means almost half the market held steady, but the items that did move had enough impact to pinch or ease wallets noticeably.
| Price decrease (Weekly) | Percent | Price increase (Weekly) | Percent |
| Electricity charges (Q1) | 9.01 | Tomatoes | 19.87 |
| Diesel | 4.46 | Onions | 10.85 |
| Moong | 1.71 | Wheat flour | 9.38 |
| Potatoes | 1.15 | Chicken | 3.63 |
| Bananas | 0.92 | Garlic | 2.28 |
| Mash | 0.88 | LPG | 1.39 |
| Pulse gram | 0.66 | Sugar | 1.20 |
| Masoor | 0.45 | Gur | 0.82 |
Year-on-year picture
Compared to last year, weekly inflation is up 2.30 percent. Big-ticket jumps include ladies sandals (55.62 percent), gas charges (29.85 percent) and sugar (26.11 percent). Beef, gur, and even vegetable ghee are also pricier. The bright side? Onions are notably cheaper, plunging 45.99 percent from a year ago, with garlic, pulses and potatoes also recording steep declines.
Different impacts across income groups
Inflation didn’t hit everyone the same way. For households earning up to Rs17,732, the SPI rose 0.20 percent. Middle-income groups saw mixed results, with slight increases or near-zero changes. Interestingly, for households making above Rs44,175 a month, the SPI dipped by 0.02 percent, showing that the wealthiest felt the least pressure.
Overall, the combined SPI for all groups stood at 329.11 points, compared to 329.94 in the previous week. Technically, that’s a decrease. Practically, for most households, the trip to the market still feels like a balancing act between finding relief and bracing for sudden shocks.
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