Pakistan’s Trade Deficit Falls By 14% in May After Surprise Drop in Imports

Pakistan’s trade deficit showed mixed trends in May 2026.

According to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the country recorded a trade deficit of $2.58 billion in May 2026, down 13.7 percent year-on-year (YoY) compared to $2.99 billion last year.

The gap narrowed by 39.4 percent compared to $4.26 billion in April 2026. Compared to April, the deficit fell sharply in May due to a 21.5 percent decline in imports.

During July–May of FY26, the cumulative trade deficit expanded to $34.7 billion, up 17.5 percent compared to $29.5 billion in 11MFY25.

Over the 11-month period, imports rose by nearly 6 percent YoY to $62.66 billion, while exports declined by 5.6 percent YoY to $27.9 billion.

In May alone, exports reached $2.705 billion, up 1.3 percent YoY, while imports dropped to $5.28 billion, down 6.6 percent.