Pakistan’s inflation lowest amongst regional countries

Pakistan has managed to contain inflation rate within single digit during last year, which is lower than the regional countries, including India and Sri Lanka. Pakistan’s year on year inflation rate or Consumer Price Index (CPI) registered an increase of 7.9 per cent in December 2012 as compared to that of the last year. The CPI in India was 9.2 per cent followed by 9.2 per cent in Sri Lanka. However, it increased by 7.2 per cent in Bangladesh, official sources told APP.
The price comparison of essential consumer items, such as wheat, wheat flour, rice, sugar and red chillies as on December 27, 2012 shows that their prices were lower in Pakistan than those in the neighbouring countries, including India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
The price of wheat flour in Islamabad as on date is Rs 34.5 per kilogram while it is being sold at Rs 37.6, Rs 49.6, Rs 132.5 and Rs 54 per kilogram in in New Delhi (India), Dhaka (Bangladesh), Colombo (Sri Lanka) and Kabul (Afghanistan) respectively.
The rate of sugar in Islamabad, New Delhi, Dhaka, Colombo and Kabul is Rs 58.8, Rs 71.2, Rs 68.5, Rs 89 and Rs 90 per kg respectively.
Similarly rice is being sold at Rs 114.1, Rs 163, Rs 188.8, Rs 132.5 and Rs 171 per kg in Islamabad, New Delhi, Dhaka, Colombo and Kabul respectively.
The prices of mutton and beef in Islamabad, New Delhi, Dhaka, Colombo and Kabul are Rs 565 and Rs 280, Rs 543 and Rs 273, Rs 531 and Rs 318, Rs 883 and Rs 412 and Rs 679 and Rs 540 respectively.
The sources added that the petrol price in Pakistan is lower than that in India and Bangladesh as the commodity is being sold at Rs 102.65, Rs 120.07 and Rs 108.85 respectively in Pakistan India and Bangladesh.
The price of diesel in Pakistan, however, is higher that in the regional countries. Its price is Rs 109.77, Rs 84.2 and Rs 74.61 in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh respectively.
According to the sources, the government has constituted the National Price Monitoring Committee under the chairmanship of Secretary Finance to review the price and supply position of essential items and suggest remedial measures in consultation with provincial governments and federal ministries and divisions concerned.