ISLAMABAD, May 4, 2026 – Pakistan’s trade deficit expanded sharply to $32 billion during the first ten months (July to April) of fiscal year 2025-26, highlighting growing pressure on the country’s external account.
Data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Monday showed that the trade gap increased by around 20% compared with $26.59 billion recorded in the same period of the previous fiscal year.
Exports declined by 6.25% to $25.10 billion during July–April 2025-26, down from $26.89 billion a year earlier. In contrast, the import bill rose by 7% to $57.20 billion, compared with $53.49 billion in the corresponding period last year, contributing significantly to the widening deficit.
On a month-on-month basis, the trade deficit surged by 43.50% to $4.07 billion in April 2026, compared with $2.84 billion in March 2026. Exports increased by 9.50% to $2.48 billion in April, up from $2.26 billion in the previous month. Meanwhile, imports climbed sharply by 28.41% to $6.55 billion, compared with $5.10 billion in March.
On a year-on-year basis, the trade deficit widened by 3.82% in April 2026 compared to the same month last year. During the period, exports posted a strong growth of 14%, while imports increased by 7.46%.
Analysts say the widening trade deficit could exert further pressure on Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves and currency stability, especially amid rising global commodity prices and increased import demand.