Pakistan posts highest half-year current account surplus in 15 years

KARACHI: Pakistan recorded its highest current account (CA) surplus in 15 years in the six months of the current fiscal year, helped by increased remittances and exports.

The country posted a current account surplus of $1.2 billion in the July-December fiscal year 2025, compared with a deficit of $1.397 billion in the same period last year, the central bank data showed on Friday.

The current account surplus for December alone jumped to $582 million, reflecting a 109 per cent increase year-on-year; however, it narrowed by 15pc compared with the previous month.

The current account figures were released following the United Arab Emirates decision to roll over $2 billion in deposits with the SBP for another year. These deposits were maturing this month.

APP adds: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Friday welcomed current account surplus posted for the third consecutive month. The continuous surplus in the current account for October, November, and December 2024 reflected the right direction of economic policies, the prime minister said in a press statement. “We are actively working to further increase the surplus in the current fiscal year,” he added.

Also, while chairing a review meeting regarding transit cargo and tracking system on Friday, PM Shehbaz Sharif directed the relevant authorities to install international standard cargo scanning system in Karachi and other key trading hubs to tackle the issue of smuggling in the country.