Pakistan Trade Deficit Widens to $24 Billion

Pakistan’s trade performance for the first eleven months of fiscal year 2024–25 shows a mixed trend, as exports grew moderately while the Pakistan trade deficit widened to $24.005 billion, according to official data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

Exports increased by 4.72 percent during July–May FY2024-25, reaching $29.445 billion, compared to $28.117 billion in the same period of the previous fiscal year. However, this growth was outpaced by a 7.30 percent rise in imports, which totaled $53.450 billion, up from $49.815 billion in July–May FY2023-24.

As a result, the Pakistan trade deficit widened by 10.63 percent during the eleven-month period, amounting to $24.005 billion, up from $21.698 billion in the same period last year.

Month-on-month (MoM), the trade deficit for May 2025 narrowed by 23.47 percent, falling to $2.619 billion from $3.422 billion in April 2025. This was primarily due to a 17.43 percent surge in exports, which rose to $2.553 billion in May from $2.174 billion in April. Imports in May declined by 7.58 percent MoM, dropping to $5.172 billion from $5.596 billion.

On a year-on-year (YoY) basis, however, the trade deficit in May 2025 widened by 26.16 percent when compared to $2.076 billion in May 2024. Exports declined by 10.07 percent YoY, falling from $2.839 billion in May 2024 to $2.553 billion in May 2025. Meanwhile, imports rose 5.23 percent YoY, increasing from $4.915 billion to $5.172 billion.

These figures highlight continued pressure on Pakistan’s trade balance despite efforts to boost exports and control unnecessary imports.