S M Tanveer, the FPCCI leader and Patron-in-Chief of the United Business Group (UBG), has expressed deep concern over the alarming surge in Pakistan’s trade deficit, which hit a four-year high of US$39.5 billion in the fiscal year 2025-26.

Reacting to the newly released trade data showing a volatile 22% Year-on-Year (YoY) increase in the trade gap, S M Tanveer stated that the numbers serve as a severe wake-up call for policymakers. The massive gap, driven by an 8% expansion in imports alongside a highly concerning 6% decline in exports, exposes deeper structural flaws that continue to suppress Pakistan’s industrial competitiveness on the global stage.

"We cannot achieve true economic sovereignty on borrowed capital or remittances alone," he emphasized. "The economy can only flourish through aggressive export-led growth........

© The Express Tribune Blog