Despite administrative procedures, Pakistan’s trade deficit more than doubled to $25.5 billion in the first half of the current fiscal year, as imports were unable to be brought under control despite an attempt by the commerce adviser to downplay it through skewed data.
The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) released figures on Wednesday showing that the trade imbalance increased to $25.5 billion in the first half of the current fiscal year (July-December) due to a large increase in imports that outpaced the increase in exports. It also said that the deficit was $13.2 billion (or 106 percent) larger than the previous fiscal year’s comparative period.
