NPMC informed: WPI-based inflation jumps 13.3pc YoY

Business Recorder reported that inflation based on the Wholesale Price Index rose to 13.3 per cent year on year, while the weekly SPI climbed 11.53 per cent for the week to October 1. The figures were placed before the National Price Monitoring Committee on Thursday, which was chaired by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal. Annual increases were reported for wheat flour, diesel, petrol, electricity, LPG and onions.

Iqbal voiced serious concern about rising wheat flour prices and told administrations in the provinces and districts to tighten checks on supplies, hoarding and overcharging. Authorities were asked to check transport fares against levels seen after the previous fuel price rise, to see whether fares had jumped out of proportion. He also asked OGRA to narrow the gap between notified LPG cylinder rates and actual market rates, and directed the Ministry of National Food Security and Research to examine why DAP stayed expensive despite cheaper global prices.

The meeting heard that CPI inflation stood at 10.3 per cent year on year in September 2026, down from 11.1 per cent in August, while the July to September FY2026-27 average was 10.2 per cent. Inspection and quality reports on ghee, edible oil and milk products are due within one week, and industry rather than government would bear the cost of any third-party validation it proposed.