Bold reality check: Pakistan’s exports slipped for a fourth consecutive month, signaling deeper trouble in the economy’s external front. In November, merchandise exports declined by 15.4% year-on-year to about $2.398 billion, down from $2.833 billion a year earlier, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. On a month-to-month basis, exports also fell by 15.8% in November.
This persistent contraction, the fifth drop in six months, raises concerns about weakening global demand and reduced foreign orders. July offered a brief relief with marginal export growth, but the positive momentum did not last. In the current fiscal year’s first five months (July–November), total export proceeds dropped 6.39% to $12.84 billion from $13.72 billion in the same period last year.
Trade performance remains strained as exporters face subdued international markets and elevated operating costs. Textile exporters, in particular, have voiced complaints about profitability pressures arising from the high cost of doing business.
On the import side, imports rose 5.42% year-on-year to $5.25 billion in November, up from $4.98 billion in the same month of the prior year. However, month-to-month imports fell by 13.8% in November. For July–November, the import bill rose 13.3% to $28.32 billion, up from $24.99 billion a year ago. Full-year imports increased by 6.57% to $58.38 billion, compared with $54.78 billion in the previous year.
As a result, the trade deficit widened: November’s gap surged 33% to $2.85 billion, up from $2.15 billion a year earlier. For the period July–November, the trade deficit stood at $15.47 billion, a 37.2% increase from the prior-year window. The FY25 trade deficit likewise expanded by 9% to $26.27 billion from $24.11 billion year-over-year.
These figures, reported by Dawn on December 3, 2025, underscore ongoing challenges in Pakistan’s external sector amid global softness and domestic cost pressures. Following this, readers can follow Dawn Business on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook for further insights on business, finance, and technology from Pakistan and beyond.
