Pakistan’s trade deficit widens 15.13% to $10.79 billion in first quarter

• The July–September trade deficit reached $10.79 billion, up from $9.37 billion a year earlier.
• Exports grew 10.84% to $8.42 billion, while imports increased 13.21% to $19.21 billion.
• September’s trade deficit stood at $3.55 billion, with exports reaching $2.93 billion.

Pakistan’s trade deficit widened by 15.13 per cent in the first quarter of the current financial year as imports grew faster than exports, according to figures released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

The gap between imports and exports reached $10.79 billion during July–September, compared with $9.37 billion in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year. PBS reported an increase of $1.41 billion over the period.

Exports totalled $8.42 billion during the three months, recording growth of 10.84 per cent. Imports increased by 13.21 per cent to $19.21 billion, pushing the overall trade gap higher.

For September, PBS reported a trade deficit of $3.55 billion. Monthly exports rose to $2.93 billion from $2.53 billion, while imports increased by 11.50 per cent to $6.49 billion.

Exports were also 17.61 per cent higher than in September 2025.

The supplied figures cite an 8 per cent increase in September’s trade deficit alongside a separate 16 per cent rise compared with August 2026. These two monthly growth rates require clarification before publication.