Pakistan’s import bill surges 23% to $6bn in September

Pakistan's import bill rose to $6.17bn in September 2026, up 22.65% from $5.03bn a year earlier, according to State Bank of Pakistan figures reported by Mettis Link News. Compared with $5.46bn in August, imports grew 12.98% month on month. Petroleum stayed the largest category, making up 25.40% of the total and reaching $1.57bn.

Food-related groups, covering animal, vegetable, fat and prepared foodstuff imports, ranked second at $784.28m, up 22.64% year on year. Base metals climbed 49.14% to $658.77m, including iron and steel, which rose 56.12% to $482.14m. Machinery slipped 2.12% to $794.76m, while textiles increased 14.37% to $467.00m.

For July to September, the first quarter of FY27, total imports reached $17.78bn, up 14.31% from $15.56bn a year earlier. Petroleum imports over that period stood at $4.31bn, a rise of 8.47%, while oil seeds rose 83.45% to $586.45m.