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ISLAMABAD: Data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) show that Pakistan’s merchandise trade deficit surged by 37.17 percent during the first five months of fiscal 2025-26, as imports climbed and exports fell.
PBS provisional figures for November 2025 show exports at $2.398 billion, down 15.35 percent compared with November 2024. Imports rose to $5.253 billion, up 5.42 percent year-on-year. That pushed the monthly trade deficit to $2.855 billion — a 32.79 percent increase over November 2024.
On a month-on-month basis, both exports and imports declined in November compared with October, resulting in a roughly 11.86 percent narrower trade gap ($3.239 billion in October).
For the cumulative period from July to November 2025, exports stood at $12.844 billion — down 6.39 percent from the same period last year. Imports, however, surged by 13.26 percent to $28.313 billion. That pushed the overall trade deficit to $15.469 billion.
Economists warn that persistent trade deficits could further strain Pakistan’s external sector. Unless exports rebound and import growth slows, foreign-exchange reserves and currency stability may come under increasing pressure.
