Consumer Price Index (CPI)
In Pakistan, four different price indices, namely the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the Wholesale Price Index (WPI), the Sensitive Price Index (SPI), and the GDP deflator, are published over the course of a fiscal year.
The CPI is the main measure of price changes at the retail level. It indicates the cost of purchasing a representative fixed basket of goods and services consumed by private households.
Inflation in Pakistan
Pakistan has experienced the highest inflation of 30% in 1974 followed by 26.8% in 1975 and 17.0% in 2009. In fact, the double-digit inflation was witnessed during 20 years out of 75 years of Pakistan.
The following are historical inflationary trends in Pakistan;
| Year | CPI Inflation | Military & Civilians Eras | Inflation Average Values |
| 1974 | 30% (Highest ever inflation a year in Pakistan’s history) | PPP’s era: Zulfikar Ali Bhutto from December 20, 1971 to August 13, 1973 as Chief Martial Law Administrator and from August 14, 1973 to July 5, 1977 as Prime Minister | Period 1970-80 Inflation Rate 12.3% (Highest in Pakistan’s history) |
| 1975 | 26.8% (2nd highest inflation a year in Pakistan’s history) | ||
| 1976 | 11.6% | ||
| 1977 | 11.8% | ||
| 1978 | 7.3% | Zia-ul-Haq’s era from July 5, 1977 to August 17, 1988 (Both as Chief Martial Law Administrator & President)
| |
| 1979 | 7.1% | ||
| 1980 | 10.7% | ||
| 1981 | 12.4% | Period 1980-90 Inflation Rate 7.8% | |
| 1982 | 11.1% | ||
| 1983 | 4.7% | ||
| 1984 | 7.3% | ||
| 1985 | 5.7% | ||
| 1986 | 4.4% | ||
| 1987 | 3.6% | ||
| 1988 | 6.3% | ||
| 1989 | 10.4% | PPP’s era: Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto from December 2, 1988 to August 6, 1990 | |
| 1990 | 6.1% | ||
| 1991 | 12.6% | PML-N’s era: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from November 6, 1990 to July 18, 1993 | Period 1990-00 Inflation Rate 9.7% (2nd highest in Pakistan’s history) |
| 1992 | 10.6% | ||
| 1993 | 9.8% | ||
| 1994 | 11.3 | PPP’s era: Benazir Bhutto from October 18, 1993 to November 5, 1996 | |
| 1995 | 13.0% | ||
| 1996 | 10.8% | ||
| 1997 | 11.8% | PML-N’s era: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from February 17, 1997 to October 12, 1999 | |
| 1998 | 7.8% | ||
| 1999 | 5.7% | ||
| 2000 | 3.6% | Pervez Musharraf’s era from October 12, 1999 to August 18, 2008 (Both as Chief Executive of Pakistan & President) | |
| 2001 | 4.4%s | Period 2001-09 Inflation Rate 8.4% | |
| 2002 | 3.5% | ||
| 2003 | 3.1% | ||
| 2004 | 4.6% | ||
| 2005 | 9.3% | ||
| 2006 | 7.9% | ||
| 2007 | 7.8% | ||
| 2008 | 12.0% | ||
| 2009 | 17.0% (3rd highest inflation a year in Pakistan’s history) | PPP’s era: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani from March 25, 2008 to April 25, 2012 / Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf from June 22, 2012 to March 24, 2013 | |
| 2010 | 10.1% | ||
| 2011 | 13.7% | Period 2010-2017 Inflation Rate 7.5% | |
| 2012 | 11.0% | ||
| 2013 | 7.4% | PML-N’s era: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from June 5, 2013 to July 28, 2017 / Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi from August 1, 2017 to May 31, 2018 | |
| 2014 | 8.6% | ||
| 2015 | 4.5% | ||
| 2016 | 2.9% | ||
| 2017 | 4.1% | ||
| 2018 | 3.9% | ||
| 2019 | 7.3% | PTI’s era: Prime Minister Imran Khan from August 18, 2018 to date | |
| 2020 | 11.2% | ||
| 2021 | 8.6% |
Source: Pakistan Economic Surveys, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS)
