Inflation compels 89pc of Peshawar households to debt: survey

Business Recorder reported that a survey by the Institute of Regional Studies found 89 percent of low-income households in Peshawar now borrow to cover routine spending. The same survey found that 95.1 percent of families with debt struggle to repay it. The findings were presented at the Peshawar Press Club by the institute's chairman, Dr Muhammad Iqbal Khalil.

Dr Khalil said the survey, drawn from 462 city households and focus groups, showed inflation reaching well beyond food prices. Essential goods and services cost 35 to 40 percent more overall, and 79.4 percent of households said they could not afford medical costs. Petroleum rates had climbed roughly 50 percent since February 2026, pushing transport costs higher for 84.6 percent of households.

Education and mobility have also been squeezed, with 59.1 percent of households falling behind on school fees and 79.8 percent making fewer trips to markets. 93 percent of families reported bigger power, gas and fuel bills, and 67.3 percent said income had grown somewhat while spending had risen far more. The survey described shifts to cheaper food and moves of children to lower-fee schools as common responses.