Lahore inflation squeezes household budgets as food, rent and utility costs rise

Rising inflation in Pakistan's Lahore has intensified financial pressures on ordinary citizens, with soaring prices of food, rent, utilities and other essentials making it increasingly difficult for low-income families to make ends meet, new agency ANI reported. Residents said the rising cost of basic commodities has made it difficult for some households to afford even two meals a day. Prices of flour, cooking oil, pulses, vegetables and other necessities have continued to rise, while daily-wage workers and low-income earners said their incomes have failed to keep pace with inflation. Vegetable, LPG prices add to public angerCitizens also raised concerns over sharply higher vegetable prices, saying commonly consumed items such as potatoes and tomatoes have become increasingly unaffordable. Residents said vegetables were being sold for around Rs 150 to Rs 300 per kilogram, depending on the item and market. One resident appealed to the government to address the difficulties faced by poor families, saying rising food prices, rent and utility bills had made household management extremely challenging. Families on limited incomes, he said, were increasingly being forced to choose between food, rent, medicines and other essential expenses. ANI reports that people living on modest pensions were struggling to manage household expenses, particularly when they also had children, medical costs and other financial responsibilities. Residents also criticised the government over LPG prices, alleging that the fuel was being sold above official rates in some markets. They questioned who would regulate traders and ensure enforcement of government price controls. Rickshaw driver Usman Ali said rising fuel and essential commodity prices had severely affected his livelihood, leaving little or nothing to save after meeting basic household expenses. Citizens further questioned why lower petrol prices had not resulted in cheaper food and other essential commodities, asking why reductions in fuel costs were not being reflected in market prices.