Pakistan’s current account posted a deficit of $356 million in September 2026, data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) showed on Friday
According to 24NewsHD TV, the latest figure follows a deficit of $73 million recorded in August 2026 and a surplus of $133 million in September 2025.
The August 2026 deficit was revised down from $98 million to $73 million.
Imports rise faster than exports
Pakistan’s total imports of goods and services reached $7.38 billion in September, up more than 23% from $5.99 billion in the same month last year.
Exports of goods and services rose by over 15% year-on-year to $3.95 billion, compared with $3.42 billion in September 2025.
Meanwhile, workers’ remittances increased by nearly 13% to $3.59 billion in September, up from $3.18 billion a year earlier.
Despite the growth in exports and remittances, higher import payments contributed to the monthly current account deficit.
First-quarter deficit rises 16%
During the first quarter of fiscal year 2026-27, Pakistan’s current account deficit reached $874 million, compared with $755 million in the same period last fiscal year, marking an increase of 16%.
Topline Securities expects the current account deficit to reach between $2 billion and $3 billion in FY27, equivalent to around 0.4% to 0.6% of gross domestic product (GDP).
Pakistan’s REER index increases
Separately, the SBP’s Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) index rose by 0.98% to 108.93 in September from 107.87 in August.
The REER measures the value of a country’s currency against the currencies of its major trading partners, adjusted for differences in prices.
A REER index above 100 generally indicates that a country’s goods may be relatively expensive compared with those of its trading partners, potentially making exports less competitive and imports relatively cheaper.
A reading below 100 suggests the opposite, although the index alone does not determine actual trade performance.
