Pakistan’s trade deficit with six Gulf countries declined by 46% in July 2026, mainly due to a sharp reduction in imports from the region.
According to central bank data, Pakistan’s trade gap with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman fell to $750.5 million in July, compared with around $1.4 billion in the same month last year.
Imports from the six Gulf countries dropped 38.1% year-on-year to $1.04 billion. In contrast, Pakistan’s exports to these markets increased 4.7% to $290.3 million.
Pakistan relies heavily on Gulf countries for crude oil, petroleum products and LNG, making its import bill vulnerable to regional disruptions, particularly those affecting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The country did not import any high-speed diesel in July, while increased production by domestic refineries also helped reduce reliance on imports.
Qatar recorded one of the biggest declines in trade with Pakistan. Pakistani imports from Qatar fell 78% year-on-year to $61.5 million in July, while exports to Qatar declined 16% to $7.42 million.
Meanwhile, imports from Oman increased 58% to $161 million, although Pakistan’s exports to Oman fell 11.3% to $20.5 million.
Despite the decline in Gulf imports, Pakistan’s overall petroleum import bill remained substantial. The country imported $1.28 billion worth of petroleum products in July, including crude oil, LNG and LPG.
