Trade deficit widens to $19b

[Forsvaret]

They have, however, steadied the ship somewhat and if they can somehow fix the export issue, they would have a lot to celebrate.

Pakistan's falling exports ain't an issue someone without a public mandate can just "fix" with military establishment's brute force alone. I thought, you knew this by now, but your Bughz-e-Imran won't let you see the obvious...

 

[Mav3rick]

Pakistan's falling exports ain't an issue someone without a public mandate can just "fix" with military establishment's brute force alone. I thought, you knew this by now, but your Bughz-e-Imran won't let you see the obvious...

Why do I have a Bughz-e-Imran? There must be some reason for it, right? The reason is the economy and the hit to my income his Governance did. As a common Pakistani, I was doing great up until 2016/17 until the sitting PM was removed, thereby starting the downfall of the economy which had a direct impact on my household and every other Pakistani along with me.

That damage, along with the damage that Imran Khan personally caused diplomatically, has still not been undone despite all the hard work.

Basically, there are 3 big differences between you are me are 1) I am not politicized at all, I have absolutely no likes and dislikes based on politics; 2) I don't have a short term memory issue; and 3) I have access to actual figures and stats unlike most because of which I am able to conclude based on facts and do not have to rely on media news and social media posts.

P.S. Even Imran was selected for the PM post, without public mandate. You do know where this is going, right?

 

[FuturePAF]

Source: Dawn
https://search.app/wHbyu

Exports plunge 20% in December. Trade gap widens.

And this is before the next major global recession. Last time there was a major global recession, in 2009, Pakistani exports fell 13.4% year on year. Failure to plan is planning to fail.

Regardless of political party in charge, the core issues are the imbalanced economy; misallocation of scarce resources and failure to invest for the long term.

Even if the party many believe won the 2024 elections were allowed to govern, IT DOESN’T MATTER, unless the needed reforms are allowed to take place, it will not make a difference.

The current politics is locked Pakistan into paralysis, Brian drain, capital flight, and hopelessness. Politics have gone from a mechanism of the little representation that was visible to a dysfunctional sideshow giving the whole nation PTSD.

This at a time when the country desperately needs to move forward to prepare for an ever more dangerous and competitive world.

 

[Forsvaret]

P.S. Even Imran was selected for the PM post, without public mandate.

Even without public mandate (according to Bughz-e-Imranis) he actually managed to increase country's exports. It didn't happen by accident. The public at that time hated him as well as military establishment because he had "failed" to deliver. I guess, all those people are very happy now by the looks of how "great" things went since his ouster:

 

[Pakistanithinktank]

No Government can work in peace under current circumstances. The polarized society is at its extreme, the only thing that the opposition is good at is cursing, blocking, breaking, damaging, trolling and causing havoc all over the world. The highly politicized, or rather, cult following in the country has become a serious challenge. And all this from people who have forgotten that IK was losing all the by-elections and was well on his way out of power.

The only thing that expedited his exit was the decision for selection of the new Army Chief. If that was not the case, IK’s politics would have died a natural death as his graph was already at its lowest in years by 2022. Granted that this Government hasn’t done miracles, which at times is simply not possible. They have, however, steadied the ship somewhat and if they can somehow fix the export issue, they would have a lot to celebrate.

However, none of that is the problem, the real problem is the celebration by a certain group at the incumbent not being able to perform miracles. The inability is cheered and celebrated; is this for the sake of Pakistan??? These enemies of Pakistan, disguised as Pakistanis, are a very big problem for the unrest and the reaction of the Government and LEAs.

You’re diagnosing the symptoms while ignoring the disease. The claim that “no government can work in peace” conveniently skips over why the environment is polarized, who engineered it, and which institutions have spent decades manipulating politics instead of allowing democratic continuity.

Polarization didn’t appear out of thin air. It is the predictable outcome of a system that refuses to let the public decide its own leadership.

1. Blaming the opposition for “havoc” is a distraction from the real issue

When you say the opposition is “cursing, blocking, damaging, trolling,” you’re describing the normal behavior of any political opposition in a democracy.
The only difference is that in Pakistan, dissent is criminalized, media is censored, and political engineering is normalized.

If the system cannot tolerate criticism, protest, or political mobilization, that’s not the opposition’s fault that’s a sign of authoritarian fragility.

2. The “cult following” narrative ignores the real reason for mass mobilization

People don’t become politically charged because of “cultism.”
They become charged when….

• elections are manipulated,
• leaders are removed through backdoor deals,
• institutions act as political actors,
• and accountability is selectively applied.

Public anger is not a personality cult, it is a reaction to decades of disenfranchisement.

3. The by‑election argument is factually weak. Claiming IK was “losing all by-elections” is simply incorrect.
He won multiple by-elections after being removed which itself contradicts the claim that his “graph was at its lowest.”

If anything, the by election results showed the opposite, the public rejected the engineered replacement.

4. The Army Chief narrative exposes the very problem you’re trying to hide

You admit that the “only thing” that expedited his exit was the Army Chief selection.

That single sentence destroys your entire argument.

If the fate of an elected government hinges on one appointment, not parliament, not voters, not performance then the problem is not polarization, not the opposition, not the economy.

The problem is the system that treats civilian governments as temporary tenants.

5. “Steadying the ship” is not the same as delivering governance

Calling the current situation “steadying the ship” is a generous euphemism for:

• record inflation,
• collapsing exports,
• shrinking industry,
• capital flight,
• and unprecedented public disillusionment.

If this is “steady,” then the bar has been buried underground.

6. Criticism of government performance is not “celebration of failure”

Calling critics “enemies of Pakistan disguised as Pakistanis” is the oldest authoritarian trick in the book.

People criticize because:

• they are paying the price of misgovernance,
• they are tired of engineered governments,
• they want accountability,
• and they refuse to normalize incompetence.

Criticism is patriotism. Blind obedience is not.

7. The real source of unrest is not the public, it is the insecurity of the system

When a government is:

• installed through deals,
• protected by institutions,
• and insulated from accountability,

then naturally it fears public opinion.

The unrest is not caused by citizens.
It is caused by a system that refuses to trust its own people.

 

[Fatman17]

You’re diagnosing the symptoms while ignoring the disease. The claim that “no government can work in peace” conveniently skips over why the environment is polarized, who engineered it, and which institutions have spent decades manipulating politics instead of allowing democratic continuity.

Polarization didn’t appear out of thin air. It is the predictable outcome of a system that refuses to let the public decide its own leadership.

1. Blaming the opposition for “havoc” is a distraction from the real issue

When you say the opposition is “cursing, blocking, damaging, trolling,” you’re describing the normal behavior of any political opposition in a democracy.
The only difference is that in Pakistan, dissent is criminalized, media is censored, and political engineering is normalized.

If the system cannot tolerate criticism, protest, or political mobilization, that’s not the opposition’s fault that’s a sign of authoritarian fragility.

2. The “cult following” narrative ignores the real reason for mass mobilization

People don’t become politically charged because of “cultism.”
They become charged when….

• elections are manipulated,
• leaders are removed through backdoor deals,
• institutions act as political actors,
• and accountability is selectively applied.

Public anger is not a personality cult, it is a reaction to decades of disenfranchisement.

3. The by‑election argument is factually weak. Claiming IK was “losing all by-elections” is simply incorrect.
He won multiple by-elections after being removed which itself contradicts the claim that his “graph was at its lowest.”

If anything, the by election results showed the opposite, the public rejected the engineered replacement.

4. The Army Chief narrative exposes the very problem you’re trying to hide

You admit that the “only thing” that expedited his exit was the Army Chief selection.

That single sentence destroys your entire argument.

If the fate of an elected government hinges on one appointment, not parliament, not voters, not performance then the problem is not polarization, not the opposition, not the economy.

The problem is the system that treats civilian governments as temporary tenants.

5. “Steadying the ship” is not the same as delivering governance

Calling the current situation “steadying the ship” is a generous euphemism for:

• record inflation,
• collapsing exports,
• shrinking industry,
• capital flight,
• and unprecedented public disillusionment.

If this is “steady,” then the bar has been buried underground.

6. Criticism of government performance is not “celebration of failure”

Calling critics “enemies of Pakistan disguised as Pakistanis” is the oldest authoritarian trick in the book.

People criticize because:

• they are paying the price of misgovernance,
• they are tired of engineered governments,
• they want accountability,
• and they refuse to normalize incompetence.

Criticism is patriotism. Blind obedience is not.

7. The real source of unrest is not the public, it is the insecurity of the system

When a government is:

• installed through deals,
• protected by institutions,
• and insulated from accountability,

then naturally it fears public opinion.

The unrest is not caused by citizens.
It is caused by a system that refuses to trust its own people.

Last point very important indeed

 

[Pakistanithinktank]

Honestly, from everything I’ve seen over the years, most of the people sending money back to Pakistan, around 80% support PTI and Imran Khan. And even today, if we had elections without any interference, I genuinely believe PTI would sweep the country. They’d dominate the National Assembly, take almost all of KPK, a huge majority in Punjab, and even make serious gains in Sindh and Balochistan. The public mood is still very clear; people just want a fair chance to express it.

 

[Forsvaret]

The public mood is still very clear; people just want a fair chance to express it.

Unfortunately, the people won't be getting a fair chance to express it because the very system itself is rigged against them:

It is caused by a system that refuses to trust its own people.

 

[Forsvaret]

Why do I have a Bughz-e-Imran? There must be some reason for it, right? The reason is the economy and the hit to my income his Governance did. As a common Pakistani, I was doing great up until 2016/17 until the sitting PM was removed, thereby starting the downfall of the economy which had a direct impact on my household and every other Pakistani along with me.

There should be a National Emergency imposed in Pakistan for the next 10 years and anyone who speaks against the establishment or the Government should be imprisoned without any formal trial. Let the damn Government and establishment do their jobs and try to dig Pakistan out of the mess which was created by Imran Khan and which his damned followers continue to create for Pakistan all over the world.

So basically, the economic hardship your household faced was never really caused by the removal of any sitting PM since PM Imran Khan was also removed unceremoniously. But that didn't stop you from blaming IK / PTI for everything alongside your current blind faith & trust in another PM from PMLN...

 

[Pakistani Dragon]

ITS CALLED EXPORTS OF GOODS DUDE

DO YOU KNOW WHAT EXPORTS OF GOOD AND EXPORTS OF SERVICES MEAN??

This is a prime example of what PTI Shaikh Chillis have been brainwashed with.

Here, our gullible brother @ziaulislam , is trying to show Goods Exports figures for financial year 2021-2022 without realising those figures are for the exports of Goods and Services combined. Poor fella.

Without realising (or even bothering to check) fellow PTI Shaikh Chilli @Forsvaret is acknowledging the figures provided by ziaulislam. This is further reinforced by another PTI Shaikh Chilli @Samlee who decides to "like" what forsvaret has acknowledged. Obviously he's not bothered to check figures either.

Blind leading the blind.

Here's the actual breakdown of Goods and Services figures for both Exports and Imports.

Financial Year​	Government​	Goods Exports​	Services Exports​	Goods Imports​	Services Imports​
2013–2014​	PML-N​	$25.068 billion	$5.352 billion	$41.634 billion	$8.024 billion
2014–2015​	PML-N​	$24.105 billion	$5.872 billion	$41.291 billion	$8.875 billion
2015–2016​	PML-N​	$21.879 billion	$5.435 billion	$40.877 billion	$8.970 billion
2016–2017​	PML-N​	$21.998 billion	$5.908 billion	$47.924 billion	$10.588 billion
2017–2018​	PML-N​	$24.807 billion	$5.883 billion	$55.871 billion	$12.305 billion
Total (2013–2018)​	-​	$117.857 billion	$28.450 billion	$227.597 billion	$48.762 billion

Financial Year​	Government​	Goods Exports​	Services Exports​	Goods Imports​	Services Imports​
2018–2019​	Caretaker / PTI​	$24.367 billion	$6.007 billion	$51.915 billion	$10.920 billion
2019–2020​	PTI​	$22.424 billion	$5.419 billion	$43.392 billion	$8.780 billion
2020–2021​	PTI​	$25.520 billion	$5.917 billion	$54.074 billion	$8.482 billion
2021–2022​	PTI / PDM​	$32.413 billion	$7.099 billion	$71.473 billion	$12.980 billion
Total (2018–2022)​	-​	$104.724 billion	$24.442 billion	$220.854 billion	$41.162 billion

Financial Year​	Government​	Goods Exports​	Services Exports​	Goods Imports​	Services Imports​
2022–2023​	PDM​	$27.920 billion	$7.580 billion	$52.839 billion	$8.635 billion
2023–2024​	PDM / Caretaker / PML-N​	$31.026 billion	$7.708 billion	$53.351 billion	$10.812 billion
2024–2025​	PML-N​	$32.220 billion	$8.383 billion	$59.088 billion	$11.184 billion
Total (2023–2025)​	-​	$91.166 billion	$23.671 billion	$165.278 billion	$30.631 billion

 

[Samlee]

This is a prime example of what PTI Shaikh Chillis have been brainwashed with.

Here, our gullible brother @ziaulislam , is trying to show Goods Exports figures for financial year 2021-2022 without realising those figures are for the exports of Goods and Services combined. Poor fella.

Without realising (or even bothering to check) fellow PTI Shaikh Chilli @Forsvaret is acknowledging the figures provided by ziaulislam. This is further reinforced by another PTI Shaikh Chilli @Samlee who decides to "like" what forsvaret has acknowledged. Obviously he's not bothered to check figures either.

Blind leading the blind.

Here's the actual breakdown of Goods and Services figures for both Exports and Imports.

Financial Year​	Government​	Goods Exports​	Services Exports​	Goods Imports​	Services Imports​
2013–2014​	PML-N​	$25.068 billion	$5.352 billion	$41.634 billion	$8.024 billion
2014–2015​	PML-N​	$24.105 billion	$5.872 billion	$41.291 billion	$8.875 billion
2015–2016​	PML-N​	$21.879 billion	$5.435 billion	$40.877 billion	$8.970 billion
2016–2017​	PML-N​	$21.998 billion	$5.908 billion	$47.924 billion	$10.588 billion
2017–2018​	PML-N​	$24.807 billion	$5.883 billion	$55.871 billion	$12.305 billion
Total (2013–2018)​	-​	$117.857 billion	$28.450 billion	$227.597 billion	$48.762 billion

Financial Year​	Government​	Goods Exports​	Services Exports​	Goods Imports​	Services Imports​
2018–2019​	Caretaker / PTI​	$24.367 billion	$6.007 billion	$51.915 billion	$10.920 billion
2019–2020​	PTI​	$22.424 billion	$5.419 billion	$43.392 billion	$8.780 billion
2020–2021​	PTI​	$25.520 billion	$5.917 billion	$54.074 billion	$8.482 billion
2021–2022​	PTI / PDM​	$32.413 billion	$7.099 billion	$71.473 billion	$12.980 billion
Total (2018–2022)​	-​	$104.724 billion	$24.442 billion	$220.854 billion	$41.162 billion

Financial Year​	Government​	Goods Exports​	Services Exports​	Goods Imports​	Services Imports​
2022–2023​	PDM​	$27.920 billion	$7.580 billion	$52.839 billion	$8.635 billion
2023–2024​	PDM / Caretaker / PML-N​	$31.026 billion	$7.708 billion	$53.351 billion	$10.812 billion
2024–2025​	PML-N​	$32.220 billion	$8.383 billion	$59.088 billion	$11.184 billion
Total (2023–2025)​	-​	$91.166 billion	$23.671 billion	$165.278 billion	$30.631 billion

Whether you take goods only or combined goods and services,Fact is For all their flaws PTI did a much better job than you illiterate patwaris did both from 2013-2018 and 2022-Now.Exports increased when those shaikh chilli's were in charge and decreased when tajurbakars like you were in charge

 

[ghazi52]

 

[Jango007]

Trade deficit combined with the largest borrowing ever seen in the history of Pakistan both internally and externally by any government and state bank reserves made entirely of borrowed money …….

Now Patwari scientist @Pakistan Space Agency @hydrabadi_arab May be can shed light on this after they have chance to explain why there is no foreign equity investment in the stock market but yet the market keeps going up…. Someone is gambling ???

 

[Thinking_Hard]

I was certain May 2025 was a turning point. This is strange.

 

[Pakistani Dragon]

Trade deficit combined with the largest borrowing ever seen in the history of Pakistan both internally and externally by any government ...

What bongi is this?

Financial Years 2018-19 to 2021-22

Government​	Quarter​	Months​	Year​	Debt​
PML-N/Caretaker​	Q4​	Apr-Jun​	2018​	$95.237 billion​
Caretaker/PTI​	Q1​	Jul-Sept​	2018​	$96.111 billion​
PTI​	Q2​	Oct-Dec​	2018​	$99.182 billion​
PTI​	Q3​	Jan-Mar​	2019​	$105.976 billion​
PTI​	Q4​	Apr-Jun​	2019​	$106.349 billion​
PTI​	Q1​	Jul-Sept​	2019​	$107.235 billion​
PTI​	Q2​	Oct-Dec​	2019​	$110.848 billion​
PTI​	Q3​	Jan-Mar​	2020​	$110.035 billion​
PTI​	Q4​	Apr-Jun​	2020​	$113.013 billion​
PTI​	Q1​	Jul-Sept​	2020​	$114.087 billion​
PTI​	Q2​	Oct-Dec​	2020​	$117.134 billion​
PTI​	Q3​	Jan-Mar​	2021​	$116.307 billion​
PTI​	Q4​	Apr-Jun​	2021​	$122.292 billion​
PTI​	Q1​	Jul-Sept​	2021​	$127.163 billion​
PTI​	Q2​	Oct-Dec​	2021​	$130.685 billion​
PTI​	Q3​	Jan-Mar​	2022​	$129.180 billion​
PTI/PDM​	Q4​	Apr-Jun​	2022​	$130.320 billion​
Growth​	-​	-​	-​	+$33.943 billion​

Financial Years 2022-23 to 2024-25

Government​	Quarter​	Months​	Year​	Debt​
PTI​	Q3​	Jan-Mar​	2022​	$129.180 billion​
PTI/PDM​	Q4​	Apr-Jun​	2022​	$130.320 billion​
PDM​	Q1​	Jul-Sept​	2022​	$127.183 billion​
PDM​	Q2​	Oct-Dec​	2022​	$126.919 billion​
PDM​	Q3​	Jan-Mar​	2023​	$125.759 billion​
PDM​	Q4​	Apr-Jun​	2023​	$124.593 billion​
PDM/Caretaker​	Q1​	Jul-Sept​	2023​	$129.760 billion​
Caretaker​	Q2​	Oct-Dec​	2023​	$132.083 billion​
Caretaker/PML-N​	Q3​	Jan-Mar​	2024​	$131.115 billion (p)​
PML-N​	Q4​	Apr-Jun​	2024​	$131.045 billion​
PML-N​	Q1​	Jul-Sept​	2024​	$133.683 billion​
PML-N​	Q2​	Oct-Dec​	2024​	$130.854 billion​
PML-N​	Q3​	Jan-March​	2025​	$130.179 billion​
PML-N​	Q4​	Apr-Jun​	2025​	$134.970 billion​
Growth​	-​	-​	-​	+$5.790 billion​

... and state bank reserves made entirely of borrowed money …….

And, when has it been any different considering SBP has reported only two (2) Current Account surpluses this century, one in Financial Year 2010-2011 and the other in Financial Year 2024-2025?