Pakistan recorded a trade deficit of 3.56 billion U.S. dollars in September, driven by import growth that outpaced a strong rise in monthly exports, according to provisional trade data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics on Friday. The latest figures show that the monthly trade gap widened 6.2 percent compared with 3.35 billion dollars in the corresponding month of 2025.
The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics reported that national exports reached 2.94 billion dollars in September, marking a 17.6 percent increase from 2.5 billion dollars recorded in the same period last year. On a month-on-month basis, exports also rose 16.1 percent from 2.53 billion dollars in August. Meanwhile, monthly imports climbed 11.1 percent year-on-year to 6.49 billion dollars, up from 5.85 billion dollars in September 2025. Compared with August, when imports stood at 5.82 billion dollars, monthly import expenditures increased by 11.5 percent.
Quarterly Trade Performance for Fiscal Year 2026-27
During the first three months of the 2026-27 fiscal year, covering July through September, Pakistan accumulated a total trade deficit of 10.79 billion dollars. Across the same three-month window, cumulative exports rose 10.8 percent year-on-year to 8.42 billion dollars, while total imports expanded 13.2 percent to 19.22 billion dollars.
In local currency terms, September shipments reached 815.1 billion rupees, while purchases climbed to 1,803.5 billion rupees. For the full first quarter, shipments totaled 2,338.9 billion rupees against purchases of 5,343.1 billion rupees, bringing the cumulative rupee-denominated trade gap to 3,004.2 billion rupees.
Potential Revisions to Provisional Trade Figures
The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics noted that all figures released for September are provisional and subject to future revision. Additional customs data will be incorporated into subsequent calculations, which may alter the final tallies for both monthly shipments and import totals.
Did You Know?
The provisional trade data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics captures both year-on-year and month-on-month shifts, noting that September imports climbed to 6.49 billion dollars from 5.85 billion dollars in the same month of the previous year.
Pakistan Trade Deficit Rises in September While Exports Grow
What was the total trade deficit for Pakistan in September?
The trade deficit reached 3.56 billion U.S. dollars in September, representing a 6.2 percent increase compared with 3.35 billion dollars in September 2025.
How much did exports grow during the first quarter of the 2026-27 fiscal year?
During the first three months of the fiscal year, exports rose 10.8 percent year-on-year to reach 8.42 billion U.S. dollars.
Are the released trade statistics final?
No, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics stated that the figures are provisional and may be revised once additional customs data is included.
How will future adjustments to customs data alter the final trade deficit figures for the fiscal year?