Islamabad, Jan 1: Pakistan’s trade deficit widened by 35 percent year-on-year (YoY) in December 2024, reaching $2.444 billion compared to $1.813 billion in the same month last year, according to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
Exports showed a modest increase of 1 percent, amounting to $2.841 billion in December 2024, up from $2.882 billion in December 2023. However, imports saw a more significant rise, growing by 14 percent to $5.285 billion in December 2024, up from $4.635 billion in the same month of the previous year. The import figure for December 2024 marked a 27-month high.
On a month-on-month basis, the trade deficit increased by 47 percent in December 2024 compared to the previous month, when it stood at $1.667 billion. Exports in December were slightly higher than in November, which were $2.833 billion, while imports increased by 17 percent compared to November’s $4.500 billion.
Looking at the half-year performance for FY25, the trade deficit remained relatively stable, totaling $11.172 billion, a slight increase from $11.152 billion in the same period of FY24. Exports during the first half of FY25 rose by 11 percent, totaling $16.561 billion, compared to $14.985 billion in the first six months of FY24. Meanwhile, imports saw a 6 percent increase, reaching $27.733 billion, up from $26.137 billion in the same period last year.
