Pakistan’s headline inflation rose sharply to 11.1 percent in August 2026, compared with 3.56 percent in August 2025 and 9.2 percent in July, according to the latest data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
The increase means the inflation rate was 212 percent higher than a year earlier and more than tripled from its August 2025 level.
On a month-on-month (MoM) basis, headline inflation rose 1.2 percent in August, the same increase recorded in July. In August last year, inflation had fallen 0.6 percent on a monthly basis.
Urban inflation reached 10.4 percent YoY in August, up from 8.7 percent in July and 3.5 percent a year earlier. Urban prices increased 0.9 percent MoM during the month.
Rural inflation rose even faster, reaching 12.2 percent YoY compared with 9.9 percent in July and 2.5 percent in August 2025. Rural inflation increased 1.6 percent MoM in August.
The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) rose 9.5 percent YoY in August, compared with 12 percent in July and 2.6 percent a year earlier. SPI increased 0.9 percent MoM during the month.
Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation also accelerated, reaching 11.8 percent YoY in August against 9.4 percent in July. WPI increased 2 percent MoM after remaining unchanged in July.
Core inflation remained high as well. Urban non-food non-energy inflation rose to 8.8 percent YoY from 8.6 percent in July, while the rural measure increased to 8.5 percent from 8.1 percent.
Under the 20 percent weighted trimmed mean measure, urban core inflation rose to 8.9 percent YoY from 7.5 percent in July, while rural core inflation increased to 9.1 percent from 8 percent.
The latest data point to a broad pickup in inflationary pressure in August, with rural inflation reaching 12.2 percent and headline inflation more than tripling compared with a year earlier.
