Islamabad: The Federal Bureau of Statistics has revealed an alarming increase of 800% in gas prices over the last four months. The National Assembly session, chaired by Deputy Speaker Ghulam Mustafa Shah, was presented with details regarding the rising prices of various goods.
According to the Federal Bureau of Statistics, the prices of essential food items have seen significant inflation over the last five years. Sugar prices have increased by 53%, while palm oil prices have risen by 61%.
The report also highlighted that the prices of soybean oil, wheat, and crude oil have increased by 35% during the same period. Officials attributed the overall inflation to the rise in electricity and gas tariffs under the IMF program.
According to the statistics agency, the government increased gas tariffs by 520% in November 2023 and by 319% in February 2024. Similarly, electricity prices saw a 35% hike in November 2023, followed by a 75% increase in February 2024.
The Federal Bureau of Statistics also stated that the sharp rise in electricity and gas prices has led to a significant overall inflationary impact. Furthermore, the Ministry of Finance disclosed that over the past five years, the government collected a staggering 338 billion rupees in taxes from mobile phone users.
The Ministry provided detailed figures in the House, revealing that mobile users were charged a total of 338 billion rupees in taxes during the last five years.
