2026.04.0111:54:24UTC+00Pakistan Inflation Rate Accelerates in March

Pakistan’s annual inflation rate climbed to 7.3% in March 2026, up from 7% in February, reaching its highest level since August 2024 and moving above the State Bank of Pakistan’s target range of 5–7%. The rise was driven mainly by higher costs in transport (12.5% compared with 0.4% previously) and housing and utilities (11.5% versus 9.7%). By contrast, price growth for food and non-alcoholic beverages eased to 3.6% from 5.8%. On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 1.2%, accelerating from a 0.3% increase in the prior month.