Pakistan faces growing trade deficit amid rising imports

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s trade deficit has exceeded $22 billion in the first seven months of the current fiscal year, according to the latest monthly trade statistics released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

The deficit recorded a 28.22 percent increase from July to January compared to the previous period.

During these seven months, imports rose by 9.42 percent, while exports declined by 7.09 percent. The total value of imports during this period reached $40.233 billion, whereas exports were recorded at $18.195 billion.

In January 2026 alone, the trade deficit stood at $2.725 billion. Imports for the month amounted to $5.786 billion, while exports totaled $3.061 billion. On a month-on-month basis, the trade deficit declined by 28.53 percent.

Monthly data also shows that exports increased by 34.96 percent in January compared to December, while imports decreased by 4.85 percent during the same period.

The statistics provide a detailed look at Pakistan’s import and export trends, showing persistent gaps despite slight improvements in January. The increase in imports over the seven-month period continued to outpace export growth, contributing to the widening trade deficit.

Overall, Pakistan’s trade balance has remained under pressure, with cumulative imports significantly higher than exports. The month-on-month data reflects some recovery in export performance and a marginal decline in imports, but the overall fiscal year deficit continues to grow.

The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics emphasized that these figures are based on monthly calculations and cover the period from July to January, highlighting both yearly and monthly changes in trade flows.