Pakistan’s Exports Up 8.17%, Trade Deficit Expands

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s exports saw an increase of 8.17 per cent in the first eight months (July-February) of the fiscal year 2024-25, reaching $22.022 billion, up from $20.359 billion during the same period last year (2023-24).

However, the trade deficit also widened by 6.33 per cent during this period, standing at $15.780 billion compared to $14.840 billion in the previous fiscal year.

On a year-on-year (YoY) basis, the trade deficit in February 2025 surged by 33.43 per cent when compared to the same month in 2024.

The country’s imports during the first eight months of 2024-25 rose by 7.40 per cent, reaching $37.802 billion, up from $35.199 billion during the same timeframe last year, according to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

In January 2025 alone, the trade deficit expanded by 33.43 per cent YoY to $2.299 billion, as opposed to $1.723 billion in January 2024. Imports for February 2025 saw a 10.03 per cent increase, standing at $4.738 billion, compared to $4.306 billion in February 2024.

In contrast, exports for the same month dropped by 5.57 per cent, falling to $2.439 billion from $2.583 billion in February 2024.

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On a month-on-month basis, the trade deficit in February 2025 showed a slight increase of 0.35 per cent, with the deficit at $2.299 billion compared to $2.307 billion in January 2025.

Exports in February 2025 declined sharply by 17.35 per cent to $2.439 billion, down from $2.951 billion in January 2025. Imports also saw a decrease, falling by 9.89 per cent in February 2025 to $4.738 billion, down from $5.258 billion in January.