ZAHEER ABBASI

ISLAMABD: Inflation inched up to 5.21 percent in June 2018 from 4.2 percent in the preceding month owing to increase in cost of food and non-food items especially energy, said Pakistan Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday.

The monthly inflation measured through CPI recorded average inflation rate in July-June 2017-18 at 3.92 percent over the same period a year before and against annual target of 6 percent.

The increase in inflation year-on- year in June 2018 has been the highest since 5.8 percent recorded in October 2014.

An increase of 34.37 percent was witnessed in kerosene oil price, 29.37 percent in diesel and 26.32 increase in petrol price was recorded in June 2018 over the same month a year before. The increase in the prices of petroleum products led to increase in transportation cost and food price as bus fare was increased 33.58 percent and train fare went 28.57 percent up.

Among vegetables, ginger price went 27.57 percent up, tomatoes price surged by 16.77 percent and onion became 14.17 percent dearer. The price of chicken witnessed an increase of 26.20 percent and iron bar price went 21.76 percent up.

According to Consumer Price Index (CPI), prices of food & non-alcoholic beverages increased by 3.22 percent in June 2018 over the same month a year before, and cost of non-perishable food items went 3.75 percent up and perishable food items prices surged by 0.35 percent.

Cost of clothing and footwear increased 6.52 percent, housing water, electricity, gas & other fuels, 5.55 percent, furnishing & household equipment maintenance, 6.04 percent, health, 5.50 percent, transport cost soared by 10.67 percent and education cost went up by 13.09 percent.

The commodities whose prices increased in July-June 2017-18 over the same period a year before included onion, 67.64 percent, kerosene oil, 17.37 percent, rice, 13.10 percent, education, 12.33 percent, motor fuel, 11.19 percent, chicken, 9.60 percent, drugs & medicines, 8.99 percent, tomatoes, 8.27 percent, and meat, 8.15 percent, etc.

Core inflation measured by non-food and non-energy CPI increased by 7.1 percent year-on-year basis in June 2018 as compared to 5.5 percent increase in the same month a year before and core inflation increased by 5.4 percent as compared to 4.2 percent in June 2017.

The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation increased by 1.5 percent in June 2018 as compared to 0.5 percent decrease in the same month of the last year.