Economic Policy & Business Development

@mukarram_ansari @jam_kamal @CapitalStake @Asad_Ashah @MJavedGhani @DrIkramulHaq @AliKhizar @Huzaimabukhari @SaleemFarrukh @MiftahIsmail @NajamAli2020 @peconomist_ @AtifRMian @PIDEpk @APTMAofficial @AajKamranKhan @GovtofPakistan @MoWP15 @etribune @brecordernews @thenews_intl @geonews @MoIB_Official @MOPASSPK @nhsrcofficial @PlanComPakistan @ARYNEWSOFFICIAL @SAMAAT @DunyaNews @humnewspakistan @Dawn_News @dawn_com @92newschannel

Pakistan's trade deficit widened 25% YoY to $25.04B in 8MFY26, exports fell 7.30% to $20.46B while imports rose 8.06% to $45.50B. Pakistan's current account posted a deficit of $700 million in 8MFY26, reversing a surplus of $479 million in the same period last year. On exports, the Food Group collapsed 32.5% to $3,089M. Rice bore the heaviest blow — Basmati down 23.3% and Non-Basmati down 44.8% — as India's re-entry into global rice markets with record export volumes directly displaced Pakistani rice across key destinations. Oil Seeds declined by 58.4%, Vegetables dropped 40.9%, and Sugar exports hit zero. Declining volumes across nearly every food category reflect incomplete flood recovery, high input costs, and an agriculture sector increasingly unable to sustain competitive export production. The Textile Group's 2.7% growth to $11,914M is narrow. Knitwear (+8.3%) and Garments (+6.0%) show resilience, but Cotton Cloth fell 10.8% and upstream segments remain stressed. High energy tariffs and intensifying regional competition are systematically eroding competitiveness. Engineering Goods (+41.0%) and All Others (+12.2%) offer genuine diversification signals but remain insufficient to offset losses elsewhere. On imports, the Food Group rose 17.1% to $5,746M. Sugar imports rose 7,028% as the government intervened to address domestic shortages, a direct consequence of the same policy cycle that eliminated sugar exports. Palm Oil rose 15.6% reflecting structural edible oil dependence. The Transport Group surged 105.7% to $2,377M while CKD Motor Cars (+84.6%) reflects genuine consumer demand channeled through local assembly. CBU luxury car imports surging 127.8% are an indefensible foreign exchange drain that warrants an immediate ban. Mobile Phone imports surging 170.4% add further consumption-driven pressure, while Textile and Agricultural Machinery growth suggests some productive investment is emerging. Until February, the situation was manageable, oil prices were low and global supply chains were functioning. That has now changed. The US-Israel attack on Iran and Iran's subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted approximately 20% of global oil and gas supply, with RLNG supply cut to zero. Oil prices have more than doubled, freight and insurance premiums are rising steeply, and prices of oil derivatives — fertilizers, chemicals, and textile inputs — are following. With over half of Pakistan's remittances originating from the Middle East, a GCC economic slowdown poses an additional medium-term risk. Import rationing on automobiles and discretionary machinery may become unavoidable. Macroeconomic stability, anchored so far by a manageable current account, is now under direct threat. The path forward is clear: ban non-essential imports immediately, reduce cost of doing business, prioritize agricultural productivity, and urgently diversify export markets and energy sources. Pakistan's external account cannot withstand another external shock of this magnitude without structural reform backing it.

@globaltimesnews @Nawaiwaqt_ @jang_akhbar @thenation @24NewsHD @Financegovpk @sifcpakistan @FBRSpokesperson @FPCCIOfficial @NIH_Pakistan @Official_PetDiv @Textile_PAK @StateBank_Pak @TheGlobal_Index @SECPakistan @nadeemmalik @brief_pk @81ShahbazRana @Profitpk @RadioPakistan @EconomicTimes @TheEconomist @Waqas_Azeem @infokpgovt @92newschannel @AmirMateen2 @MalickViews @ThePBC_Official @PSX100 @SDPIPakistan @trade_flow @TextilePtea @CapitalStake @BNC_PvtLimited @nhsrcofficial

A war in our region doesn’t stay on the battlefield. It shows up at the fuel pump, in food prices, and in the cost of doing business. If global oil surges, petrol in Pakistan could climb to Rs400 per litre, pushing inflation, unemployment, and economic uncertainty even higher. How resilient is Pakistan’s economy to the next fuel shock? #Pakistan #Iranwar #fuel #GlobalTension

@globaltimesnews @Nawaiwaqt_ @jang_akhbar @thenation @24NewsHD @Financegovpk @sifcpakistan @FBRSpokesperson @FPCCIOfficial @NIH_Pakistan @Official_PetDiv @Textile_PAK @StateBank_Pak @TheGlobal_Index @SECPakistan @nadeemmalik @brief_pk @81ShahbazRana @Profitpk @RadioPakistan @EconomicTimes @TheEconomist @Waqas_Azeem @infokpgovt @92newschannel @AmirMateen2 @MalickViews @ThePBC_Official @PSX100 @SDPIPakistan @trade_flow @TextilePtea @CapitalStake @BNC_PvtLimited @nhsrcofficial

Pakistan’s journey in the Global Innovation Index (GII) has been nothing short of a rollercoaster. Over the years, the country has experienced noticeable ups and downs, showing moments of progress followed by periods of decline. After climbing in the rankings at certain points, Pakistan has slipped back due to challenges such as limited R&D investment, weak industry–academia linkages, and gaps in innovation infrastructure. This fluctuating trajectory reflects both the country’s untapped potential and the structural barriers that continue to hinder sustained innovation performance. Looking ahead, the way forward requires a more consistent and coordinated innovation strategy. Strengthening research and development funding, improving collaboration between universities and industry, supporting startups, and expanding digital and technological infrastructure will be the key to unlock the innovation potential of Pakistan.

@mukarram_ansari @jam_kamal @CapitalStake @Asad_Ashah @MJavedGhani @DrIkramulHaq @AliKhizar @Huzaimabukhari @SaleemFarrukh @MiftahIsmail @NajamAli2020 @peconomist_ @AtifRMian @PIDEpk @APTMAofficial @AajKamranKhan @GovtofPakistan @MoWP15 @etribune @brecordernews @thenews_intl @geonews @MoIB_Official @MOPASSPK @nhsrcofficial @PlanComPakistan @ARYNEWSOFFICIAL @SAMAAT @DunyaNews @humnewspakistan @Dawn_News @dawn_com @92newschannel

Pakistan is borrowing to survive, not to grow. Debt-to-GDP has breached legal limits, staying above 70% consistently over the last many years, while public external debt (excluding IMF) surged 18% in six years. Most borrowing goes to plug holes, not build the future. Budgetary support dominates the foreign loans while development projects take a backseat. Over 70% of foreign borrowing funds budgetary support, with commercial loans peaking at $4.7 billion, short-term, high-cost, and high-risk. Debt servicing is up 56.7% in five years. It’s time to break the cycle. Borrow to build, not patch. Boost exports, productivity, and business growth, and enhance local savings to grow out of debt—before the next crisis hits.

Surplus Power, Stalled Growth: How Pakistan’s Power Paradox Is Crushing the Economy #EnergyCrisis #PowerSector #CircularDebt

No Signs of Export Led Growth! The Trade Deficit increased by $5 billion during the eight-month period from July to February this year compared to the same period last year. Exports declined by $ 1.5 Billion , while Imports rose by $ 3 .5 Billion. It is high time the government realised that Country Exports and Growth are Most Important for National Economic Security. #Trade #Exports #Imports #Economicsecurity #Pakistan

Three economies. Thirty years of data. One undeniable conclusion — export-led growth wins.

Pakistan is paying more, even when it uses less power. Dollar-indexed contracts have turned currency crashes into guaranteed profits. Consumers are funding idle plants while affordability collapses. Every rupee lost silently inflates capacity charges. The burden rises automatically, regardless of demand or delivery. The system protects returns, not people. Fixes are clear: renegotiate the contracts, align capacity with real demand, and shift contracts to rupee indexation. Stop making Pakistan pay for power it doesn’t need.

@mukarram_ansari @jam_kamal @CapitalStake @Asad_Ashah @MJavedGhani @DrIkramulHaq @AliKhizar @Huzaimabukhari @SaleemFarrukh @MiftahIsmail @NajamAli2020 @peconomist_ @AtifRMian @PIDEpk @APTMAofficial @AajKamranKhan @GovtofPakistan @MoWP15 @etribune @brecordernews @thenews_intl @geonews @MoIB_Official @MOPASSPK @nhsrcofficial @PlanComPakistan @ARYNEWSOFFICIAL @SAMAAT @DunyaNews @humnewspakistan @Dawn_News @dawn_com @92newschannel

We build roads. We expand projects. We celebrate numbers. But we underinvest in minds, health, and opportunity. You cannot compete globally when your children aren’t in school and your workforce isn’t empowered. 140th isn’t just a statistic, it’s a warning. Will we act before it becomes irreversible?

@UN_SDG @UNHumanRights @PakistanSDGs @globaltimesnews @Nawaiwaqt_ @jang_akhbar @thenation @24NewsHD @Financegovpk @sifcpakistan @FBRSpokesperson @FPCCIOfficial @NIH_Pakistan @Official_PetDiv @Textile_PAK @StateBank_Pak @SECPakistan @nadeemmalik @brief_pk @81ShahbazRana @Profitpk @RadioPakistan @EconomicTimes @TheEconomist @Waqas_Azeem @infokpgovt @92newschannel @AmirMateen2 @MalickViews @ThePBC_Official @PSX100 @SDPIPakistan @trade_flow @TextilePtea @CapitalStake @BNC_PvtLimited @nhsrcofficial

@Nawaiwaqt_ @jang_akhbar @thenation @24NewsHD @Financegovpk @sifcpakistan @FBRSpokesperson @FPCCIOfficial @NIH_Pakistan @Official_PetDiv @Textile_PAK @StateBank_Pak @SECPakistan @nadeemmalik @brief_pk @81ShahbazRana @Profitpk @RadioPakistan @EconomicTimes @TheEconomist @Waqas_Azeem @infokpgovt @92newschannel @AmirMateen2 @MalickViews @ThePBC_Official @PSX100 @SDPIPakistan @trade_flow @TextilePtea @CapitalStake @BNC_PvtLimited @nhsrcofficial

Pakistan's total goods imports increased by 9.4% YoY in 7MFY26 raising critical questions about whether this uptick reflects consumption driven growth or deepening external vulnerability. The Food Group (+34.6%) reflects broad-based agricultural underperformance. Sugar imports surged +9,003% due to the government's self-defeating export-then-import cycle. Palm Oil rose +30.5%, Dry Fruits +108%, Tea +20.9%, and Spices +37.5% together painting a picture of a domestic agriculture sector increasingly unable to meet basic consumption needs across multiple commodities. The Transport Group (+130.9%) demands disaggregation: CBU bus and truck surge (+751.5%) largely reflects Punjab Government's electric bus procurement — a one-off public expenditure. The real market signal is CKD Motor Cars (+109.4%), reflecting rising consumer demand being channeled through local assembly, a positive indicator for domestic industrial activity. The Machinery Group (+28.7%) is partly consumption-driven, mobile phone imports alone rose +183.3%. However, Agricultural Machinery (+45.3%), Construction & Mining (+40.9%), and Textile Machinery (+34.1%) suggest productive investment is also picking up, though output recovery remains distant. The Textile Group (+11.9%) masks a troubling reality. Raw Cotton imports fell 15.7%, not a sign of domestic sufficiency, but of collapsed industrial demand as an estimated 187 textile mills have shut down operations. The rise in Synthetic Fibres (+29.8%) reflects activity in the remaining operational segment, but overall textile import growth is modest precisely because the sector's productive capacity has contracted sharply. With exports declining simultaneously, this import profile points to an economy consuming faster than it produces — and one where policy failures continue to compound foreign exchange pressure. #ImportSurge #PakistanEconomy #TradeDeficit

@mukarram_ansari, @jam_kamal, @CapitalStake, @Asad_Ashah, @MJavedGhani, @DrIkramulHaq, @AliKhizar, @Huzaimabukhari, @SaleemFarrukh, @MiftahIsmail, @NajamAli2020, @peconomist_, @AtifRMian, @PIDEpk, @APTMAofficial, @AajKamranKhan, @GovtofPakistan, @MoWP15, @etribune, @brecordernews, @thenews_intl, @geonews, @MoIB_Official, @MOPASSPK, @nhsrcofficial, @PlanComPakistan, @ARYNEWSOFFICIAL, @SAMAAT, @DunyaNews, @humnewspakistan, @Dawn_News, @dawn_com, @92newschannel.

@mukarram_ansari, @jam_kamal, @CapitalStake, @Asad_Ashah, @MJavedGhani, @DrIkramulHaq, @AliKhizar, @Huzaimabukhari, @SaleemFarrukh, @MiftahIsmail, @NajamAli2020, @peconomist_, @AtifRMian, @PIDEpk, @APTMAofficial, @AajKamranKhan, @GovtofPakistan, @MoWP15, @etribune, @brecordernews, @thenews_intl, @geonews, @MoIB_Official, @MOPASSPK, @nhsrcofficial, @PlanComPakistan, @ARYNEWSOFFICIAL, @SAMAAT, @DunyaNews, @humnewspakistan, @Dawn_News, @dawn_com, @92newschannel.

Total goods exports declined by 7.1% YoY in the first seven months of FY26, with the contraction concentrated in key traditional categories. Food Group exports registered the steepest decline at -35.0% YoY, erasing significant foreign exchange earnings, while Petroleum exports dropped 13.9% and Other Manufactures slipped 1.9% — underscoring persistent structural competitiveness challenges. The Textile Group continues to anchor export performance, posting 3.3% YoY growth to $10.5 billion in 7MFY26 from $10.2 billion in 7MFY25, though the margin remains too narrow to offset broader sectoral weakness. The "All Others" category offered a degree of relief, rising 10.3% YoY. Reversing this trajectory demands decisive action: prioritizing export-led growth, reducing the cost of doing business, diversifying the export base, and incentivizing value-added manufacturing to restore long-term competitiveness and sustainable foreign exchange generation.