The weekly shop got more expensive again — and the sharpest pain is in the kitchen. Pakistan’s short-term inflation measure rose 0.65% in the week ended 22 October 2026, taking the annual rate to 11.85%, according to figures released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics on Friday. The previous week had shown a small fall; this one reversed it.
Cooking gas is the story of the week. LPG prices jumped 22.44% in seven days, pushing the average 11.67kg cylinder from Rs 5,154 to Rs 6,311 — a rise of more than Rs 1,150 just as households start stocking up for winter. Chicken became 12.20% dearer, onions 4.19%, and wheat flour, bread and shirting all edged up. Of the 51 essential items the bureau tracks, 19 rose, 12 fell and 20 were unchanged.
Not everything went up. Tomatoes fell nearly 22% in the week, petrol became 3.63% cheaper and diesel 1.68% cheaper, and bananas, potatoes and eggs all eased. But the annual picture is harsher: LPG is up 107% on a year ago, onions 72%, electricity charges 58%, and petrol 44%. For a household, that means the relief at the fuel pump is being outweighed at the stove — and with winter demand for LPG only rising, the next few weekly readings will matter more than most.
