Pakistan's monthly inflation rate declines by 1.04pc, reveals PBS data

• As per PBS, the rate of inflation in February on yearly basis stood at 12.4pc.
• The Urban CPI recorded a decreased of 1.09pc while Rural CPI recorded a decrease of 0.97pc.

Pakistan Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) declined by 1.04 percent in the month of February, 2020 as compared to January 2020, it was learnt here on Monday.

As per the latest data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, for the month of February 2020, the rate of inflation in February on yearly basis stood at 12.4pc.

On monthly basis, the Urban CPI recorded a decreased of 1.09pc while Rural CPI recorded a decrease of 0.97pc.

Prices of food items such as pulses, fresh vegetables and wheat, which have been the main top drivers of inflation, saw a downward trend on the monthly basis, the bureau said.

The items that showed an increase in prices during the month of February are: Vegetable ghee (13.15pc), Cooking oil (10.27pc), Sugar (8.45pc), Mustard oil (4.25pc), Fresh fruits (4.16pc), Beans (3.89pc), Butter (3.61pc), Carpets (3.28pc), Chicken (2.35pc), Pulse moong (2.27pc), Solid Fuel (1.19pc) and Pulse mash (1.14pc).

Whereas the rate of Tomatoes slashed by 60.27pc in the month of February, alongside Eggs (26.36pc), Liquefied Hydrocarbons (13.53pc), electricity charges (13.48pc).

Other items which witnessed decline include Potatoes (12.91pc), Fresh vegetables (11.48pc), Onions (8.79pc), Wheat flour (5.29pc), Wheat (3.52pc), Pulse gram (2.34pc), and Besan (2.33pc).

On yearly basis, the rates of onions increased by 102pc, Pulse Moong by 84pc, potatoes 83pc, vegetables 62pc.Whereas, gas charges rose by 55pc in a year.

The rates of Pulse Maash rose by 51pc , butter 43pc , sugar 37pc, ghee 34pc, Pulse chana 24 and lentils 22% more expensive,

Meanwhile, the price of tomatoes, eggs and electricity got cheaper on yearly basis.

The report was also presented to the Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has directed the economic team to reduce inflation as much as possible.  More steps are underway to reduce inflation, and More cuts in inflation are expected next month.