KARACHI: The US dollar jumped up to make a new high at Rs170.96 on Wednesday in the interbank foreign exchange market.
The Pak Rupee (PKR) fell by 16 paisas to end at Rs170.96 from previous day’s close of Rs170.80 in the interbank foreign exchange market.
Currency experts said that rising dollar demand for import payment had deteriorated the rupee value. They said that panic buying for dollars was seen during the day after the report of a massive surge in import bill during the first quarter of the current fiscal year.
The import bill of the country registered a record increase of 65 per cent to $18.63 billion during July – September of the current fiscal year as compared with $11.28 billion in the corresponding period of the last year.
The higher import bill also widened the trade deficit significantly. The trade deficit ballooned by 100 per cent to $11.66 billion during the quarter under review as compared with the deficit of $5.81 billion in the same period of the last year.
Since the start of the current fiscal year the rupee was under pressure. The high dollar demand for import payment may be attributed to ease in cases of coronavirus cases and enhanced industrial and commercial activities.
