Pakistan's imports from the United States surged by 45.44 per cent in the first quarter of the current financial year, while export growth remained modest at 4.44 per cent, narrowing the country's bilateral trade surplus with Washington. Figures from the State Bank of Pakistan's October 2026 report show export receipts from the US reached $1.716 billion in July-September 2026, up from about $1.64 billion a year earlier.

Imports climb to $659 million

Imports rose to $659.2 million from $453.3 million over the same period, an increase of about $206 million, while exports grew by only around $73 million. Pakistan's trade surplus with the US therefore fell from about $1.19 billion to $1.06 billion, a reduction of around 11 per cent.

Business leaders urge export push

Mian Zahid Hussain, president of the Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum and the All Karachi Industrial Alliance, said the figures underlined the need for a comprehensive strategy to expand exports to the US, Pakistan's largest single export market. He urged the government to act on competitiveness, branding and market access for exporters.

The pattern extends beyond the US alone. Imports from North America as a whole rose 60.58 per cent to $841.31 million in the quarter, while exports to the region rose 4.65 per cent to $1.826 billion. Pakistan has committed to importing more from the US under its trade agreement with Washington, as the Trump administration applies additional tariffs while offering limited relief under a reciprocal arrangement.