By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s trade deficit expanded 22.65% to $27.81 billion in the first nine months of fiscal 2026, driven by a sharp drop in exports that more than offset higher imports, according to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics released on Thursday.
The gap between exports and imports widened from $22.67 billion in the corresponding July-March period of fiscal 2025, the PBS figures show. The current fiscal year runs from July 2025 to June 2026.Exports for the nine-month period totaled $22.73 billion, an 8% decline from $24.72 billion a year earlier. Imports rose 6.64% to $50.54 billion from $47.39 billion in the same period of fiscal 2025.
The deterioration in the trade balance comes as Pakistan continues to grapple with external-sector pressures, though the PBS data provide no further breakdown by category or trading partner.
On a monthly basis, the trade picture was mixed. In March 2026, the deficit stood at $2.73 billion, 3.71% wider than the $2.63 billion recorded in March 2025. Exports fell 14.4% to $2.26 billion from $2.64 billion a year earlier, while imports eased 5.37% to $4.99 billion from $5.28 billion.
The March deficit, however, narrowed 9.36% from $3.01 billion in February 2026, offering a modest sequential improvement even as the year-on-year comparison remained negative. The PBS releases its trade figures on a monthly and cumulative basis, covering goods only and excluding services. No revised data or seasonal adjustments were indicated in Thursday’s release.
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