The country's annual inflation inched up to 3.32 percent in January 2016 compared to 3.19 percent for the previous month due to increase in the cost of food items, fresh and dry fruits as well as firewood whole, according to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). The CPI inflation, which is used to measure the prices of significant essential commodities, witnessed an upward trend from the last couple of months after the prices of essential and non essential commodities increased.
Giving answers to the questions of media persons at the launch of monthly inflation report, Chief Statisticians Asif Bajwa stated the government has released total funds required to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) for carrying out national census in the next month.
He said that discussion with armed forces for provision of security to the enumerators has been taken up and hopefully everything would be finalised soon. He was confident that census would be carried out as per schedule. The government plans to conduct a much delayed census on 28th March, however, but sources said that census may be subject to security arrangement.
He said that inflation rate in January 2016 over previous month witnessed 0.21 percent increase while CPI in January 2016 witnessed an increase of 3.32 per cent as compared to the same month a year ago. In January 2016, as compared to the same month of last fiscal year, the prices of food and non alcoholic beverages increased by 1.21 percent, non-perishable food items by 1.73 percent, perishable food items -2.16 percent, alcoholic beverages & tobacco by 26.45 percent, clothing & footwear by 4.68 percent, housing water, electricity, gas& other fuels by 5.01 percent, furnishing & household equipment maintenance by 3.75 percent, health by 2.53 percent, transport -1.80 percent, communication 0.37 percent, recreation & culture 2.20 percent, education by 8.81 percent, restaurant & hotel by 4.99 percent, miscellaneous goods & services by 2.72 percent.
The major food commodities, which contribute to month-on-month, include sugar (5.98percent), fresh fruits 5.24percent, chicken 3.03 percent, Pulse Mash 2.89percent, tea 1.71percent, fish 1.23percent, gram whole 1.13percent and dry fruits 1.12percent. However amongst food items the price of tomatoes decreased by 38.21percent, potatoes by 29.40percent, onion by 14.17percent, vegetables by 5.38percent, eggs by 1.47percent and Cooking Oil by 1.12percent.
Among non-food items the cost water of supply increased by 2.28percent, house rent by 2.03percent, motor vehicles by 1.44percent, dupatta by 1.30percent, marriage hall charges by 1.23percent and firewood whole by 1.10percent. The trimmed core inflation was recorded at 3 percent during the month of January 2016 over January 2015 as compared to 4.8percent during January 2015 over January, 2014. The Non-food & Non-energy core inflation was recorded at 4.3percent during January 2016 over January 2015 as compared to January 2015 over January 2014.
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