Pakistan: Rising prices of essential items hit people hard

Karachi [Pakistan], July 18 (ANI): As inflation is high, the prices of essential items such as cooking oil, pulses, flour, sugar, milk, and chicken have increased, affecting people's budgets badly, ARY News reported on Thursday.
The prices of 25 essential items have increased, with the inflation rate reaching over 23 per cent, leading to price hikes of up to PKR 65 per kg for pulses and PKR 30-40 per litre for cooking oil, as per ARY News.
According to details of the items black chickpeas, moong dal, dal mash, and dal chana have risen by PKR 65, PKR 60, PKR 50, and PKR 45 per kg respectively.
Sugar prices have also increased by PKR 25 to PKR 30 per kg, and chicken meat has become more expensive by PKR 80 to PKR 100 per kg, now selling at PKR 600 to PKR 650 per kg.
The wholesale inflation rate in June reached a 16-month high of 3.36 per cent, a significant rise from below zero in June last year.
Chicken, following tin and beef, has become increasingly unaffordable for the common man, with prices reaching PKR 650 per kg after consecutive monthly increases.
Recently, Pakistani residents expressed their anger with skyrocketing inflation and hefty tax duties, which are placing immense financial strain on their daily lives.
Essential goods like food, electricity, and gas have become prohibitively expensive, pushing ordinary salaried individuals to the brink of financial instability.
Trapped between increasing needs and prices Arif, a Karachi resident, lamented, "Rising prices have made it nearly impossible to make ends meet. Basic necessities such as electricity, water, and food are now out of reach for the average worker. Without reliable access to these essentials and timely salaries, the working class is suffering immensely. The incompetence of government institutions is to blame for this dire situation." (ANI)