KARACHI: The current account deficit (CAD) of Pakistan has massively widened to $15.19 billion during 11 months (July – May) of 2021/2022, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said Tuesday.
The data of balance of payment (BoP) showed the current account deficit was $1.18 billion in the corresponding months of the last fiscal year.
READ MORE: Current account deficit swells to $13.78 bn in 10 months
The massive widening in current account deficit may be attributed to the high trade deficit on back of significant increase in import bill.
The trade deficit of the country increased by 58.18 per cent to $43.42 billion during July – May 2021/2022 as compared with $27.45 billion in the corresponding period of the last fiscal year, according to data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
READ MORE: Pakistan’s CAD hit $13.17 billion in July – March
The import bill of the country surged by 44.51 per cent to $72.29 billion during first 11 months of the current fiscal year as compared with $50 billion in the same months of the last fiscal year.
However, export earnings of also grew by 28 per cent to $28.87 billion during the period under review as compared with $22.57 billion in the same period of the last fiscal year.
READ MORE: Pakistan’s CAD mounts to $12 billion in eight months
Meanwhile, inflows of workers remittances posted a six per cent growth to $28.41 billion during 11 months of the current fiscal year as compared with $26.73 billion in the corresponding months of the last fiscal year.
The current account deficit for the month of May 2022 also widened to $1.425 billion as compared with the deficit of $618 million in April 2022 and the deficit of $640 million in May 2021.
READ MORE: Current account deficit widens to $11.58 bn in 7MFY22
