Cement Nears Rs. 2,000 per Bag

Cement prices have been steadily rising across Pakistan, causing construction costs to soar, according to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). The week that ended on October 8 saw a 1.66 percent increase in the average retail price of a 50-kilogram cement bag in northern Pakistan, reaching Rs. 1,613, compared to the previous week's figure.

In southern Pakistan, the average price climbed 1.32 percent to Rs. 1,568 per bag, up from Rs. 1,547 a week earlier. Major cities reported varying average cement prices, with Islamabad averaging Rs. 1,611 per bag, Rawalpindi at Rs. 1,552, Gujranwala at Rs. 1,650, Sialkot at Rs. 1,647 and Lahore at Rs. 1,630. Faisalabad and Sargodha recorded prices of Rs.

1,610 and Rs. 1,638 respectively, while Multan, Bahawalpur, Peshawar and Bannu were at Rs. 1,650, Rs. 1,599, Rs. 1,650 and Rs. 1,550 respectively. In southern cities, Karachi had an average price of Rs. 1,476 per bag, Hyderabad at Rs. 1,548, Sukkur at Rs. 1,650 and Larkana at Rs. 1,523. Quetta and Khuzdar saw average cement prices of Rs. 1,560 and Rs. 1,650 per bag, respectively, based on PBS data.