View source for Foreign trade of Pakistan

{{for|a more general overview|Economy of Pakistan}}
{{Short description|Imports and exports in Pakistan}}
{{Use Pakistani English|date=December 2018}}{{trade bloc}}
[[Image:2005Pakistani exports.PNG|thumb|Pakistani exports in 2005]]
{{trade bloc}}
'''[[Pakistan]]''' has bilateral and multilateral trade agreements with many nations and international organizations. It is a member of the [[World Trade Organization]], part of the [[South Asian Free Trade Area]] agreement and the [[China–Pakistan Free Trade Agreement]]. Fluctuating world demand for its exports, domestic political uncertainty, and the impact of occasional droughts on its agricultural production have all contributed to variability in Pakistan's trade deficit. The trade deficit for the fiscal year 2013/14 is $7.743 billion, exports are $10.367 billion in July–November 2013 and imports are $18.110 billion.

Pakistan's exports continue to be dominated by manpower export in the subcontinent, cotton textiles and apparel. Imports include petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, fertilizer, capital goods, industrial raw materials, and consumer products.<ref name=Reuters>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN2BO5ET |title=Pakistan defers trade with India until Delhi reviews Kashmir's status, foreign minister says|author=Asif Shahzad and Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam|newspaper=Reuters news agency|date=1 April 2021|access-date=31 May 2021}}</ref>

On 12 December 2013, the [[European Union]] granted [[Generalized System of Preferences|GSP Plus]] status to Pakistan<ref name="Pakistan to Benefit From EU Trade Status">{{cite web | url=http://www.wwd.com/business-news/government-trade/pakistan-to-benefit-from-eu-trade-status-7327060?src=nl/mornReport/20131231 | title=Pakistan to Benefit From EU Trade Status | publisher=WWD | date=30 December 2013 | access-date=2 January 2014 | author=Lone, Mahlia S.}}</ref> until 2017, which enabled it to export 20% of its good with 0 tariff and 70 percent at preferential rates to the EU market. This status was given after the [[European Parliament]] passed the resolution by 406-186 votes.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/pak-gets-gsp-plus-status-till-2017-for-free-access-to-eu-market-113121300203_1.html|title = Pak gets GSP Plus status till 2017 for free access to EU market|newspaper = Business Standard India|date = 13 December 2013}}</ref> Foreign trade is important for the economy because the country has to import different types of products but due to a heavy reliance on imports, Pakistan has been facing a trade balance deficit.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-04 |title=Pakistan economic crisis is getting worse: From debt to inflation to forex, here's what is happening |url=https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/world/story/pakistan-economic-crisis-is-getting-worse-from-debt-to-inflation-to-forex-heres-what-is-happening-358943-2023-01-04 |access-date=2023-09-20 |website=Business Today |language=en}}</ref>

==Exports==
Pakistan's exports for the year 2015-2016 stood at US$21 Billion and imports were at US$44.76 billion for the same period.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2016/07/16/total-exports-slide-by-12-11-in-2015-16-imports-by-2-32/ |title=Total exports slide by 12.11% in 2015-16, imports by 2.32% |author=Arshad Hussain |date=July 16, 2016 |access-date=October 3, 2017 }}</ref>

Pakistan's exports increased more than 100% from $7.5 billion in 1999 to stand at $18 billion in the financial year 2007–2008.<ref name="autogenerated2">{{cite web|url=http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/fbs/statistics/external_trade/monthly_external_trade/met6/summary_june2007.pdf|title=Government of Pakistan. Statistics division federal bureau of statistics. Karachi. Summary June 2007|date=June 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080627165135/http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/fbs/statistics/external_trade/monthly_external_trade/met6/summary_june2007.pdf|archive-date=June 27, 2008|access-date=July 4, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://economicpakistan.wordpress.com/2008/02/18/data-boi/ |title=Data: Board of Investment " Economic Pakistan |publisher=Economicpakistan.wordpress.com |date=2008-02-18 |access-date=2010-07-29}}</ref>
 
Pakistan exports [[rice]], [[kinnow]]s, [[mangoes]], [[furniture]], [[cotton fiber]], [[cement]], [[tile]]s, [[marble]], [[textile]]s, [[clothing]], [[leather]] goods, veterinary surgical supplies, sports goods (renowned for footballs/soccer balls), [[cutlery]], [[surgical instrument]]s, electrical [[home appliance|appliance]]s, [[software]], [[Pakistani rug|carpet]]s, [[Pakistani rug|rug]]s, ice cream, livestock meat, [[chicken]], [[powdered milk]], [[wheat]], [[seafood]] (especially shrimp/prawns), [[vegetables]], processed food items, Pakistani-assembled [[Suzuki]]s (to Afghanistan and other countries), [[defense (military)|defense]] equipment (submarines, tanks, radars), [[salt]], [[onyx]], [[engineering]] goods, and many other items. Pakistan produces and exports cements to Asia and the [[Middle East]]. In August 2007, Pakistan started exporting [[cement]] to India to fill in the shortage there caused by the building boom.<ref>[http://in.news.yahoo.com/070803/139/6j021.html "Pakistan to start cement export by August end"]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070821043020/http://in.news.yahoo.com/070803/139/6j021.html |date=August 21, 2007 }}, [[Yahoo! News]], August 3, 2007</ref> Russia is a growing market for Pakistani exporters. In 2009/2010 the export target of Pakistan was US$20 billion.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.freshplaza.com/news_detail.asp?id=66884 | title=FreshPlaza: Global Fresh Produce and Banana News }}</ref> As of April 2015, Pakistan's exports stand at US$29 billion.

==List of trading partners==
The following is a list of Pakistan's main trading partners as of JULY 2017.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Country !! Percentage of imports !! Percentage of exports !! Percentage of total trade 
|-
| {{flagcountry|China}} ||31 || 11 || 16.9
|-
| {{flagcountry|European Union}} || 10.4 || 18.2 || 13.0
|-
| {{flagcountry|UAE}} || 12.1 || 8.5 || 10.9
|-
| {{flagcountry|Saudi Arabia}} || 12.2 || 8.5 || 9.0
|-
| {{flagcountry|United States}} || 3.7 || 13.6 || 6.7
|-
| {{flagcountry|Kuwait}} || 6.3 || 0.07 || 4.4
|-
| {{flagcountry|India}}<ref name=Reuters/> || 4.07 || 1.67 || 3
|-
| {{flagcountry|Malaysia}} ||9 || 0.9 || 2.9
|-
| {{flagcountry|Japan}} || 3.6 || 1.6 || 2.9
|-
| {{flagcountry|Iran}} || 3.4 || 1.8 || 2.9
|-
| {{flagcountry|Afghanistan}} || 0.3 || 7.6 || 2.8 
|-
| {{flagcountry|Singapore}} || 4.1 || 0.3 || 2.8
|}

== See also ==

* [[Economy of Pakistan]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.finance.gov.pk/survey/chapters/09-trade.PDF Trade and Payments]
* [http://smbmarble.com SMB Marble]
*[https://wits.worldbank.org/CountryProfile/en/PAK Pakistan Trade] 
* {{cite news|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/880267/a-statistical-look-into-pakistans-foreign-friendships/|title=A statistical look into Pakistan's foreign friendships|newspaper=The Express Tribune|date=3 May 2015|access-date=4 May 2015}}

{{International trade}}
{{Economy of Pakistan}}
{{Foreign relations of Pakistan}}

[[Category:Foreign trade of Pakistan| ]]