ISLAMABAD - The headline inflation measured by Consumer Price Index (CPI) had witnessed an increase of 11.3 per cent in April 2012 against same period last year mainly due to the higher petroleum prices announced by the government last month.
Secretary Statistics Division Sohail Ahmad on Wednesday in a press conference said that CPI-based inflation has recorded an increase of 11.3 per cent in April 2012 as compare to April 2011. The analysts believe that inflationary pressure mounted as a consequence of the massive increase in POL, LPG, CNG and electricity cost during last month (April).
Meanwhile, CPI inflation has increased by 10.84 per cent during the first ten months (July-April) of the ongoing financial year 2011-12 against the same period last fiscal year. Sohail Ahmad said that government has set inflation target for the year 2011-12 at the rate of 12 percent and the prices of commodities are in control according to the target.
The PBS figures revealed that Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) based inflation has recorded at 6.72 per cent during July-April 2011-12, and Wholesale Price Index (WPI) based inflation has registered at 11.24 per cent in July-April 2011-12 against the July-April 2010-11. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) during has registered an increase of 1.83 percent in April 2012 as compared to the month of March. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) during the month of April has been recorded 1.83 percent, 14 months high on month on month basis. It might be mentioned here that government is contemplating to set challenging inflation target of 9.5 per cent for the upcoming fiscal year 2012-13 despite increasing the support prices of wheat to Rs 1,050 per 40 kg. 
The break-up of CPI-based general inflation (11.27 per cent in April 2012 over March 2012) showed that food and non-alcoholic beverages prices have gone up by 10.70 per cent, alcoholic beverages and tobacco prices have increased by 17.98 per cent, clothing and footwear prices soared by 32.07 per cent, housing water, electricity and gas fuels, 18.33 per cent, health care charges, 21.11 per cent, transportation charges, 28.78 per cent, communication charges increased by 1.43 per cent, recreation and culture charges went up by 11.67 per cent, education charges, 24.72 per cent and restaurants and hotel charges by 31.82 per cent and miscellaneous 37.31 per cent in April 2012 against March 2012.
According to the PBS figures, prices of per kg tomatoes has increased by 77.01 per cent in April against March, per kg potatoes price enhanced by 21.96 per cent, per kg chicken price went up by 12.14 per cent, per kg fresh fruits price surged by 10.93 per cent, besan prices enhanced by 4.81 per cent, fresh vegetables prices went up by 4.32 per cent, cigarettes 3.23 per cent, cooking oil, 2.79 per cent, milk powder, 2.50 per cent, rice, 2.20 per cent, vegetable ghee, 1.95 per cent, milk fresh, 1.39 per cent and tea and beverages 1.32 per cent each in the month of April against March.
However, according to the PBS figures, prices of onions decreased 27.94 per cent, per dozen price of eggs went down by 22.27 per cent, prices of per kg mash declined by 1.72 per cent, per kg price of pulse masoor reduced by 0.61 per cent and per kg prices of pulse moong declined by 0.56 per cent in April against March.