# Pakistan exports up 17.6% to $2.94 billion in September, trade deficit at $3.56 billion

Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/news/economy/pakistan-exports-up-176percent-to-dollar294-billion-in-september-trade-deficit)
Type: News article
Author: Searchable Editorial
Published: 5 Oct 2026
Updated: 5 Oct 2026
Retrieved: 5 Oct 2026

> Exports grew faster than imports, but the monthly gap still widened by 6.2%. Here are the numbers, the first-quarter totals and what they mean for the rupee.

Pakistan exports rose 17.6% year on year to **$2.94 billion in September 2026**, up from $2.50 billion a year earlier, according to trade figures released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on 3 October. Imports grew more slowly, by 11.1% to $6.49 billion, but the gap between the two still left a monthly trade deficit of **$3.56 billion**, 6.2% wider than in September 2025.

At today's interbank rate of about Rs 277 to the dollar (see [/data/usd-pkr](/data/usd-pkr)), September's exports were worth roughly Rs 815 billion, while the import bill came to about Rs 1.8 trillion.

## Pakistan exports: the September numbers

| | September 2026 | September 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exports | $2.94bn | $2.50bn | +17.6% |
| Imports | $6.49bn | $5.85bn | +11.1% |
| Trade deficit | $3.56bn | $3.35bn | +6.2% |

Compared with August 2026, exports jumped by about $410 million (16%), the strongest month so far this fiscal year, as reported by ProPakistani, which quoted Khurram Shehzad, adviser to the finance minister. The deficit also rose from $3.29 billion in August, because imports grew too.

## First quarter (July to September)

- Exports: **$8.42 billion**, up 10.8%
- Imports: **$19.2 billion**, up 13.2%
- Trade deficit: **$10.8 billion**, up 15.3% from $9.37 billion

By sector, Shehzad's breakdown puts agriculture and food exports up 23% in the quarter (with rice a big part of it, see our report on [basmati exports](/news/economy/basmati-exports-up-53pc-in-two-months-as-pakistans-food-import-bill-stays-flat)), manufacturing, mining and energy up 17%, and textiles and apparel up 6%.

## What it means for you

**The rupee.** Exports bring in dollars and imports spend them. A $3.56 billion monthly gap has to be covered by remittances, loans and investment, which is why the dollar rate matters to anyone paying school fees abroad, importing goods or buying a phone. The rupee has been steady near Rs 277; track it daily on the [dollar rate page](/data/usd-pkr) or convert amounts with the [currency converter](/tools/finance/currency-converter).

**Jobs and wages.** Faster growth in food and manufacturing exports means more orders for mills, rice processors and factories in Punjab and Sindh, where most export jobs are.

**Prices.** Imports rising 13% in a quarter, much of it fuel and machinery, keeps pressure on the import bill. Petrol is at Rs 392.76 a litre on PSO's ex-depot Karachi price ([/data/petrol-price](/data/petrol-price)).

## Services trade

Services are reported a month later. In August 2026, services exports (IT, freelancing, transport) rose 29% to $873 million, against imports of $1.156 billion, narrowing the services deficit by 37.2% to $282.7 million, according to The News. Freelancers can work out their tax on foreign earnings with our [freelancer tax calculator](/tools/tax/freelancer-tax-calculator).

## What to watch

PBS publishes the detailed commodity breakdown (textile groups, rice, IT services) later in the month, and the State Bank releases the current account for September around the third week of October.

## Frequently asked questions

**How much did Pakistan export in September 2026?**

$2.94 billion, 17.6% more than the $2.50 billion of September 2025, according to PBS figures released on 3 October 2026.

**What was Pakistan's trade deficit in July to September 2026?**

$10.8 billion, 15.3% higher than a year earlier, with exports of $8.42 billion and imports of $19.2 billion.

## Sources

- Trade deficit widens 6.2pc to $3.56bn (3 October 2026) (The News): https://www.thenews.pk/print/1440669-trade-deficit-widens-6-2pc-to-3-56bn
- Pakistan Exports Record Sharp Increase in September (5 October 2026) (ProPakistani): https://propakistani.pk/2026/10/05/pakistan-exports-record-sharp-increase-in-september/
- Pakistan's exports rise 17.6 pct year-on-year in September (3 October 2026) (Xinhua): https://english.news.cn/20261003/081311d071a04f68ab8b40e4c3627c2c/c.html
- PSO fuel prices, effective 3 October 2026 (Pakistan State Oil): https://psopk.com/en/fuels/fuel-prices

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