Imports rise 12.59% to $25.96 billion during July–October, outpacing export growth of 8.52% and widening the country’s external trade gap.

Islamabad, November 6, 2026: Pakistan’s merchandise trade deficit widened by nearly 16% to $14.63 billion during the first four months of fiscal year 2026-27 (4MFY27), as rising imports outpaced export growth.

According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the trade deficit increased from $12.61 billion in July–October FY26 to $14.63 billion during the corresponding period of the current fiscal year.

Total imports rose by 12.59% to $25.96 billion, compared with the previous year’s corresponding period. Meanwhile, exports increased by 8.52% to $11.34 billion.

On a year-on-year basis, the trade deficit widened by 19.70% in October 2026 to $3.88 billion, against $3.24 billion in October 2025.

During October, imports increased by 11.81% to $6.81 billion, while exports recorded a relatively modest growth of 2.84% to reach $2.93 billion.

Compared with September 2026, the trade deficit also expanded by 10.30% in October.

The widening trade gap highlights growing pressure on Pakistan’s external sector, as import payments continue to increase faster than export earnings.

The latest figures underline the need to strengthen export competitiveness and manage import demand to contain the trade imbalance and support external sector stability.