Pakistan’s trade deficit rose sharply to US$3.3 billion in September 2025, showing an increase of 46% compared to the same month last year and 16% higher than in August, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. The gap widened because exports dropped while imports grew strongly.
Exports in September stood at US$2.5 billion, down 12% from last year, although they were slightly better than in August with a 4% increase. Compared to September 2024, the country earned US$332 million less from exports.
At the same time, imports jumped to US$5.8 billion, which is 14% higher than last year and 11% higher than the previous month. This means Pakistan imported US$517 million more goods in September compared to August.
Overall, during the first quarter of the financial year 2026 (July to September), the trade deficit widened to US$9.4 billion, compared to US$7.0 billion in the same period last year, an increase of 33%. Experts say this rising gap between exports and imports adds pressure on Pakistan’s foreign reserves and makes economic stability more difficult.
