Pakistan’s Textile Surge Beats the Odds
Pakistan’s textile exports showed strong resilience in April 2025, registering an 11.11% year-on-year (YoY) increase. According to the latest data from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), exports climbed to $1.444 billion, up from $1.3 billion in April 2024.
On a month-on-month (MoM) basis, export growth remained largely flat, inching up by just 0.043% from $1.443 billion in March. However, the bigger picture remains encouraging. Cumulatively, during the first ten months of the current fiscal year (July–April FY2024–25), textile exports reached $14.48 billion—reflecting a 6.8% rise compared to $13.56 billion in the same period last year.
This upward trend comes amid significant global uncertainty, particularly following U.S. President Donald Trump’s recently introduced tariff regime. The U.S. imposed a hefty 29% reciprocal tariff on Pakistani goods in response to Islamabad’s earlier 58% tariffs on U.S. imports. However, a 90-day suspension on these tariffs—excluding China—is currently in place, giving exporters some breathing room.
To navigate these challenges, Pakistan has floated the idea of a zero-tariff trade agreement with the U.S. While such a move could stimulate export volumes, analysts warn of potential trade imbalances due to Pakistan’s limited value-added production. As India already offers zero-tariff access to U.S. goods, Pakistan’s policymakers are under pressure to respond strategically.
Experts emphasize the need for well-structured subsidies, export-oriented policies, and investment in value addition to sustain growth momentum and maintain global competitiveness.
With this pace, Pakistan is optimistic about surpassing last year’s textile export total of $16.31 billion.