AFP fact check: No, food inflation has not risen to 20% in Pakistan

An online report by a Pakistani broadcaster claims that basic food inflation has risen to 20 per cent in Pakistan resulting in “severe consequences” for the country. Official statistics show that food inflation fell in the second half of 2018.

This online report by a private Pakistani broadcaster says: “20 per cent inflation on basic food basket has unfolded miserable consequences for public.”

The report says: “the ‘exponential’ increase in prices of basic kitchen items up to 20 percent has pulled severe consequences for the general public.”

The report does not give a source for its figures.

The report also says that the Pakistani government is set to propose a new budget on January 23, 2019, which it claims will impose new taxes on basic food items, which will likely cause further inflation.

The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics issued a report on inflation in December 2018.

Food inflation in June 2018 was 3.0 per cent and in December 2018 it was 0.9 per cent, according to the report.

Here is a screenshot of the table from the above report. AFP has marked the relevant months and figures.

According to the Asian Development Bank, overall inflation was 3.9 perc ent in Pakistan in 2018.

The Pakistan Minister of State for Revenue Hammad Azhar tweeted that the story was fake and said that food inflation had declined in Pakistan.

"Fake news alert. Food inflation fell from 3% in June 2018 to 0.9% in Dec 2018," Azhar said.

Fake news alert. Food inflation fell from 3 % in June 2018 to 0.9% in Dec 2018. (Source SBP) https://t.co/d7utdkq215

— Hammad Azhar (@Hammad_Azhar) January 13, 2019