ISLAMABAD (HRNW) – According to the latest data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), Pakistan’s trade deficit has swelled to $34.76 billion during the first 11 months of the current fiscal year.
The PBS statistics indicate that a 17.48% increase was recorded in the trade deficit from July 2025 to May 2026. However, on a monthly basis, the trade deficit in May witnessed a substantial decline of 39.43%, while registering a 13.68% decrease on a year-on-year basis. In May 2026 alone, Pakistan’s trade deficit stood at $2.582 billion.
The Bureau of Statistics further highlighted that during the first 11 months of the ongoing fiscal year, Pakistan’s exports experienced an overall decline of 5.61%. Consequently, the total volume of exports from July 2025 to May 2026 remained at $27.90 billion. On a positive note, exports in May grew by 9.59% month-on-month and 1.26% year-on-year, pushing the export volume for the month of May to $2.705 billion.
According to the data, imports grew by 5.94% during the same 11-month period, reaching a cumulative volume of $62.66 billion between July 2025 and May 2026. Conversely, in May 2026, imports dropped by 21.45% on a month-on-month basis and decreased by 6.63% on a year-on-year basis. The total import volume for the month of May was recorded at $5.29 billion.
Economic experts suggest that the primary driver behind the overall widening of the trade deficit is the persistent growth in imports coupled with a cumulative decline in exports. However, the improvement in exports and the reduction in the deficit during the month of May are being viewed as positive economic indicators.
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