Farooq Awan

Gas charges recorded a sharp 29.85% year-on-year increase during the week ended January 08, 2026, making them the highest-rising non-food item under the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

The SPI, compiled on a weekly basis to assess short-term price movements of essential commodities, covers 51 items collected from 50 markets across 17 urban centres. The year-on-year comparison reflects changes in prices compared to the corresponding week of the previous year and highlights longer-term inflationary pressures.

PBS data shows that gas charges for the first quarter (Q1) stood at Rs2,566.50 per MMBTU during the reporting week, compared to Rs1,976.50 per MMBTU in the corresponding week last year. This increase translated into a 29.85% annual rise, the highest among non-food items included in the SPI basket.

Despite the sharp year-on-year increase, gas charges remained unchanged on a week-on-week basis, with prices holding steady compared to the previous week ended January 01, 2026. The impact of gas charges on the SPI is reflected through their weight in the non-food component of the index.

The year-on-year SPI data indicates that several non-food items recorded increases during the reporting period, including firewood, shirting, lawn printed fabric and electricity charges. However, the increase in gas charges exceeded all other non-food items in percentage terms, making it the most significant contributor to annual non-food inflation within the SPI framework.

The SPI executive summary also shows that while some non-food items registered annual increases, others recorded declines. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices declined by 1.22% year-on-year, while high-speed diesel prices fell by 0.30% compared to the same period last year. These declines, however, did not offset the sharp rise in gas charges.

Across consumption quintiles, year-on-year SPI increases ranged from 2.42% for the lowest income group to 3.65% for the second quintile, reflecting the combined impact of food and non-food price movements, including gas charges.

Credit: INP-WealthPk