By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s trade deficit swelled by a quarter to $25.04 billion in the first eight months of the current fiscal year, official figures showed on Tuesday, underscoring the persistent strain on the country’s external accounts.
Data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics showed that the gap between exports and imports reached $25.04 billion in the July-February period of fiscal 2026, a sharp 25 percent increase from the $20.04 billion shortfall recorded in the same stretch of fiscal 2025.
The deterioration was fuelled by a combination of rising imports and a contraction in outbound shipments. Total exports for the eight-month period stood at $20.46 billion, down 7.3 percent from $22.07 billion a year earlier. Imports, by contrast, rose 8.1 per cent to $45.50 billion, compared with $42.11 billion in the previous fiscal year.
The figures highlight a familiar pattern for Pakistan’s economy, where domestic demand and global commodity prices often drive import bills higher even as export performance remains subdued.
Separate monthly data painted a similarly challenging picture for February alone. Exports fell 8.8 percent year-on-year to $2.27 billion, from $2.49 billion in February 2025. Imports edged lower by 1.6 percent to $5.25 billion, against $5.34 billion in the same month last year. Even with the modest decline in imports, the monthly trade deficit widened to $2.98 billion — up 4.6 percent from $2.85 billion in February 2025. Compared with January’s shortfall of $2.75 billion, the February gap expanded by 8.4 percent.
The release comes at a time when policymakers continue to grapple with balancing growth ambitions against the need to stabilise foreign-exchange reserves and contain current-account pressures.
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