Pakistan’s Trade Deficit Rises 24% After Import Policy Relaxation

Pakistan’s trade deficit widened by 24 percent in December 2025 following the government’s decision to relax import policies, leading to a sharp rise in imports. Official data shows that the trade deficit increased from $3 billion in December 2024 to $3.71 billion in December 2025. During the month, imports crossed the $6 billion mark, reaching $6.02 billion, while exports declined by 4 percent to $2.32 billion. According to State Bank of Pakistan, imports rose 20 percent on a monthly basis, whereas exports continued to weaken. In the first six months of the current fiscal year, Pakistan imported goods worth $34 billion against exports of $15 billion, resulting in a cumulative trade deficit of $19.2 billion.