-Pakistan’s regional exports increase by 31%
By Our Diplomatic
Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: China has top list of regional countries that importing Pakistani goods, according to latest data released by State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).
The official statistics showed Pakistan’s exports to the seven regional countries witnessed an increase of 31.60 percent in first three months of current financial year (2021-22) as compared to the corresponding months of last year.
The country’s exports to the regional countries including Afghanistan, China, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, and the Maldives account for a small amount of $946.212 million, which is 13.64 percent of Pakistan’s overall exports of $6933.080 million during July-September (2021-22). China tops the list of countries in terms of Pakistan’s exports to its neighbouring, leaving behind other countries such Bangladesh and Afghanistan, said the data. Pakistan carried out its border trade with the farther neighbour Sri Lanka, India, Nepal and Maldives.
Pakistan’s exports to China posted growth of 69.73 percent to $559.153 million in three months of this year from $329.421 million during last year while exports to Bangladesh also increased by 37.572 percent to $175.389 million from $127.487 million. The country’s exports to Afghanistan however dropped by 39.12 percent to $127.647 million this year from $209.868 million whereas exports to India plunged by a whopping 90.43 percent to $0.099 million from $1.035 as the government has suspended trade relations with India.
Similarly, exports to Sri Lanka rose by 64.96 percent to $81.017 million from $49.111 million in the previous year whereas exports to Nepal also increased by 5.18 percent to $1.238 million from 1.177 million, in addition exports to Maldives increased by 53.54 percent to $1.669 million from 1.087million, it added.
On the other hand, the imports from seven regional countries were recorded at $4128.996 million during the period under review as compared to $2895.227 million during last year, showing increase of 42.61 percent. The imports from China during July-September 2021-22 were recorded at $4012.100 million against the $2793.755 million during July-September 2020-21, showing an increase of 43.60 percent during the period.
Among other countries, imports from India worth $42.502 million against the imports of $49.947 million, decrease of 14.90 percent while imports from Afghanistan increased by 88.49 percent from $17.820 million to $33.589 million.
Meanwhile, imports from Sri Lanka witnessed 3.27 percent increase from $21.313 million to $22.010 million whereas Pakistan Imports from Bangladesh recorded at $ 17.446 million from $12.118 million during last year. The imports from Nepal into the country witnessed decrease of 20.80 percent from $0.274 million to $0.217 million, it said.
