Pakistan’s exports increased by 11% in the first quarter of FY27, but faster import growth pushed the trade deficit to $10.79 billion.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s exports rose by around 11% during the first quarter of fiscal year 2026-27 (FY27), according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

Exports reached $8.42 billion during July-September FY27, compared with $7.60 billion in the same period of the previous fiscal year, marking an increase of approximately 11%.

However, imports grew at a faster pace, rising 13.21% to $19.22 billion during the quarter from $16.97 billion a year earlier.

The stronger growth in imports resulted in a widening of Pakistan’s trade deficit. The deficit increased by 15.13% to $10.79 billion during the first quarter, compared with $9.37 billion in the corresponding period of FY26.

September trade figures

On a year-on-year basis, the trade deficit increased by 6.15% in September 2026. During the month, exports increased by 17.61%, while imports rose by 11%.

On a month-on-month basis, exports recorded a 16.07% increase in September, while imports grew by 11.50%. As a result, the monthly trade deficit widened by 7.99%.

The latest PBS figures show that while export performance strengthened during the opening quarter of FY27, the faster expansion in imports continued to exert pressure on Pakistan’s overall trade balance.