Pakistan, March 3 -- Pakistan's annual inflation rate accelerated to 7% in February 2026, marking its highest level since October 2024 as electricity price hikes and mounting global risks added pressure to household budgets.

Data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics showed the consumer price index (CPI) rose 6.98% year-on-year in February, up from 5.8% in January and sharply higher than 1.5% recorded in the same month last year.

The surge was largely driven by energy costs after the government scrapped cross-subsidies and imposed fixed electricity charges. The housing, water, electricity, gas and fuels category rose 9.65% annually and 1.86% month-on-month, with electricity tariffs alone climbing 10.03% compared to January.

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