Pakistan’s exports declined by 17.66 percent in April 2025, falling to $2.18 billion, while imports surged 16.22 percent to $5.61 billion, according to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
Exports for April totaled Rs611.3 billion, down from Rs740.8 billion in March and also below April 2024 levels. In dollar terms, exports decreased by 17.66 percent compared to March 2025 and by 7.36 percent year-on-year.
Despite the monthly dip, exports for the first ten months of the current fiscal year (July-April 2024-25) showed modest growth, reaching Rs7.5 trillion—a 4.51 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Dollar-denominated exports increased by 6.40 percent to nearly $26.9 billion.
Top export categories in April included knitwear (Rs93.4 billion), readymade garments (Rs85 billion), bedwear (Rs54.9 billion), rice (Rs45.1 billion), and cotton cloth (Rs35.5 billion).
On the import side, April saw a significant rise with total imports hitting Rs1.58 trillion, up 16.48 percent from March and 16.87 percent higher than April 2024. Dollar imports climbed 16.22 percent month-on-month and 15.79 percent year-on-year to $5.61 billion.
Imports for July-April 2024-25 reached Rs13.46 trillion, marking a 5.75 percent increase, while dollar imports rose 7.55 percent to $48.29 billion compared to the previous year.
Key imports in April included petroleum crude (Rs151.5 billion), electrical machinery (Rs150.2 billion), petroleum products (Rs139.1 billion), palm oil (Rs83.7 billion), and iron and steel (Rs70.9 billion).
The widening gap between exports and imports highlights ongoing challenges for Pakistan’s trade balance amid fluctuating global demand and rising commodity prices.