Jul, Aug trade performance reviewed: Exports stay stable at USD5.11bn

ISLAMABAD: Commerce minister Jam Kamal Khan Thursday chaired a high-level meeting to review Pakistan’s trade performance during the first two months of the current financial year, ie, 2025–26. Senior officials and representatives from relevant departments attended the meeting.

According to an official statement, the meeting noted that Pakistan’s exports remained stable at USD 5.11 billion during July–August 2025–26, despite challenging global conditions.

The textile and apparel sector remained the mainstay of exports with a 10 percent increase, reaffirming its role as a backbone of Pakistan’s export economy.

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Encouragingly, Pakistan’s exports to Africa grew by 9 percent and to South Asia by 7 percent, while stable performance was recorded in North America and the EU. These gains underscore the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to expand into new markets while consolidating traditional ones.

It was observed that imports were mainly driven by higher requirements for energy, raw materials, and food items, indicating growing domestic economic activity. The Minister emphasized that this trend provides opportunities for import substitution and investment in local manufacturing under the Government’s “Make in Pakistan” initiative.

The Minister for Commerce issued the following key directions: (i) diversification of export products and markets with a focus on high-value and non-traditional sectors;(ii) development of import substitution strategies to reduce reliance on food and energy imports; (iii) strengthening export competitiveness and integration into global value chains; and (iv) expediting measures for value addition in textiles, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors.

The Minister commended exporters for sustaining resilience and reiterated the Government’s commitment to facilitating the business community, securing new market access, and ensuring sustainable trade growth.

The meeting concluded with the reaffirmation that the Ministry of Commerce remains fully dedicated to building a resilient, diversified, and competitive trade sector aligned with Pakistan’s economic growth and employment objectives.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025