Pakistan’s trade deficit has surged by 10.63% in the first 11 months of the current fiscal year, crossing the $24 billion mark, according to new data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
From July 2024 to May 2025, the country’s exports totalled $29.445 billion, reflecting a 4.72% increase compared to the same period last year. However, imports during the same timeframe soared to $53.450 billion, up by 7.30%, widening the trade gap significantly.
In May alone, exports were valued at $2.553 billion, showing a 17.43% rise compared to April 2025, suggesting a month-on-month improvement in outbound trade. Despite this uptick, imports for May stood at $5.170 billion, resulting in a monthly trade deficit of $2.610 billion.
While the export sector has shown modest growth, the pace of rising imports continues to put pressure on the trade balance, highlighting the country’s continued dependence on foreign goods and the need for stronger domestic production strategies to curb the growing deficit.