Service sector posts trade deficit of $281m in September

Mettis Global reported, citing the latest State Bank of Pakistan data, that the services trade deficit widened to $281 million in September. This was 2.55% higher than the $274 million gap in August. Compared with September last year, when the deficit stood at $155 million, the shortfall is up 81.29%.

Services exports climbed 15.51% year on year to $931 million, with telecommunications, computer and information services accounting for the largest share at $435 million. Other business services ranked second with $199 million, while transport exports came to $106 million and travel exports to $100 million. On a monthly basis, total exports were 9.66% higher than in August.

Imports of services reached $1.212 billion in September, up 26.12% year on year, with transport imports the largest at $508 million. Travel services cost the country $275 million in the same month. For the first quarter of FY27, covering July to September, the services deficit totalled $831 million, 1.07% lower than a year earlier, while exports rose 22.81% to $2.719 billion and imports 16.24% to $3.550 billion.