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Economic and political overview

Economic Overview

For the latest updates on the key economic responses from governments to address the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, please consult the IMF's policy tracking platform Policy Responses to COVID-19.

Pakistan has achieved steady growth since 2013 in the aftermath of a credit facility agreement with the IMF. Economic growth slowed in recent years due to measures taken by the authorities to address macroeconomic imbalances and turned negative in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the IMF's estimates, growth picked up in 2022 reaching 6% of GDP despite disruptions caused by floods, a tight monetary stance, high inflation, and a less conducive global environment; while a strong inflow of remittances (around 10% of GDP, mainly from Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia and UAE) supported private consumption. The IMF expects the economy to decelerate slightly in 2023 (+2%) before picking up again the following year (+4.2%).

Concerning public finances, the full-year current account deficit is forecast at USD 4.7 billion (1.5% of GDP) in FY23 after USD 17 billion (4.6% of GDP) recorded in FY22 (Fitch Ratings) in light of restrictions on imports and foreign exchange availability, as well as fiscal tightening, higher interest rates and measures to limit energy consumption. The public debt-to-GDP ratio also increased in 2022, reaching 77.8% (from 74.9% one year earlier) but is expected to follow a downward trend over the forecast horizon (71.1% in 2023 and 76% in 2024, according to the IMF). In 2023, Fitch Ratings noted that a default of some sort appears probable following indications that the authorities are considering debt restructuring, while further deterioration in external liquidity and funding conditions could also worsen the situation. Inflation spiked to an estimated 12.1% in 2022 and is projected to further increase to 19.9% in 2023 amid continued rupee depreciation, high prices of petroleum products, and the persistent increase in the rates of agriculture commodities (Pakistan’s imports of food surged by 65% following the floods). The World Bank Report estimated financial needs for post-flood rehabilitation and reconstruction to amount to at least USD 16.3 billion.

Pakistan's unemployment rate stood at around 6.2% in 2022 and is expected to remain stable in the near future. Nevertheless, the number of people no longer actively seeking work is increasing. The level of underemployment remains very high and much of the economy is informal. While the poverty rate has fallen by 40% over the last two decades, it is still high: using the lower-middle-income poverty rate of USD 3.2 per day, in fact, the World Bank calculated that Pakistan's poverty ratio stands at around 40%. The country has a low GDP per capita (PPP), estimated at USD 6,662 in 2022 by the IMF.

 
Main Indicators 202020212022 (E)2023 (E)2024 (E)
GDP (billions USD) 300.41348.23376.490.000.00
GDP (Constant Prices, Annual % Change) -0.95.76.00.53.5
GDP per Capita (USD) 1,3771,5641,65800
General Government Gross Debt (in % of GDP) 79.673.675.873.668.9
Inflation Rate (%) 10.78.912.127.121.9
Unemployment Rate (% of the Labour Force) 6.66.36.27.06.8
Current Account (billions USD) -4.45-2.82-17.410.000.00
Current Account (in % of GDP) -1.5-0.8-4.6-2.3-2.4

Source: IMF – World Economic Outlook Database , October 2021

Country Risk

See the country risk analysis provided by La Coface.

 

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Main Sectors of Industry

The agricultural sector is very important for the Pakistani economy: it contributes 22.7% of the GDP and employs 37% of the active population. Wheat, rice, cotton, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables and tobacco are among the major crops. Cattle livestock farming remains important as the country is among the top 10 beef and veal producers in the world. Pakistan is the fifth-largest cotton producer in the world and has abundant natural resources, mainly copper, oil and gas. During 2021-22, the agriculture sector recorded a growth of 4.4%. The crops sector outperformed and posted a growth of 6.58%, with cotton ginning growing by almost 9.2%. In the same fiscal year, livestock farming grew an estimated 3.2%: overall, the sector had a share of 61.89% in agriculture and 14.04% in GDP (data Ministry of Finance).
 
The industrial sector contributes 18.8% of the GDP and employs 25% of the population. The major industries are textile production (the largest source of foreign exchange revenue), oil refining, metal processing, and the production of cement and fertilisers. Maritime transport is also a significant activity; however, the market is dominated by foreign shipping companies and the state-owned Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC). The manufacturing sector accounts for 12.4% of GDP, with large-scale manufacturing accounting for three-quarters of the total. During the first nine months of the fiscal year 2021-22, large-scale manufacturing grew an estimated 10.4%. Overall, the industrial sector grew by 7.2% in FY 2022 (data Ministry of Finance).
 
The tertiary sector comprises 52.1% of the GDP and employs more than one-third of the workforce (38%). The IT sector is growing rapidly, contributing around 1% of GDP and accounting for 3.5% of exports. Remittances from Pakistanis working abroad represent a considerable financial income for the country. During FY 2022, the services sector posted a growth of 6.2%, on account of 10% growth in wholesale and retail trade, 5.4% in transport and storage, and 4.1% in accommodation and food service (Ministry of Finance).

 
Breakdown of Economic Activity By Sector Agriculture Industry Services
Employment By Sector (in % of Total Employment) 36.9 25.0 38.1
Value Added (in % of GDP) 22.7 18.8 52.1
Value Added (Annual % Change) 3.5 7.8 6.0

Source: World Bank - Latest available data.

 
Monetary Indicators 20162017201820192020
Pakistani Rupee (PKR) - Average Annual Exchange Rate For 1 USD 104.77105.46121.82136.50158.24

Source: World Bank - Latest available data.

 

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Foreign Trade

Despite economic and political difficulties, Pakistan has taken steps to liberalise its trade and investment framework as part of commitments made with the WTO, IMF and the World Bank. Nevertheless, the share of foreign trade in Pakistan's GDP continues to be low, at 27% (World Bank, latest data available). Textile products account by far for the largest share of exports (around 60%, mostly comprising linen, clothing and cotton, making the country the 9th textile exporter in the world), followed by rice (4.877 million tons, valued at USD 2.51 billion in FY2022). In regards to imports, the largest items are petroleum products, followed by palm oil, telephones and coal (Comtrade).

The United States is the top destination for Pakistani exports (21.1%, mainly textile), followed by China (10.5%), the United Kingdom (7.3%), and Germany (5.4%). China is by far the largest supplier of goods and services in Pakistan (28.3%), ahead of the United Arab Emirates (10.1%), Indonesia (5.8%), the United States (5.3%), and Saudi Arabia (5.2%). The free trade agreement (FTA) with China impacted Pakistani manufacturing exports, which have declined in recent years, and local businesses worry the completion of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor would further increase the share of Chinese products in the domestic market. Click here for an overview of Pakistan’s free trade agreements.
 
Pakistan's trade structure has been structurally in deficit: in 2021, imports of goods reached the record level of USD 72.5 billion (+58.3% year-on-year), while exports grew at a slower pace (+28.9%), totalling USD 28.3 billion. Concerning the trade of services, imports reached USD 9.8 billion, whereas exports amounted to USD 6.5 billion. For the same year, the World Bank estimated the country’s trade deficit at 8.9% of GDP (from 8.1% one year earlier). The latest figures from the Bureau of Statistics show that in the fiscal year 2022 (July ’21-June ’22), exports of goods reached USD 31.7 billion (+25.5% y-o-y), against USD 80 billion in imports (+42% y-o-y).

 
Foreign Trade Values 20172018201920202021
Imports of Goods (million USD) 57,74660,07850,33245,80472,515
Exports of Goods (million USD) 21,72523,42523,32921,96128,319
Imports of Services (million USD) 9,85811,1309,7247,3069,806
Exports of Services (million USD) 3,9144,6954,6564,3786,498

Source: World Trade Organisation (WTO) ; Latest available data

Foreign Trade Indicators 20172018201920202021
Foreign Trade (in % of GDP) 25.527.628.926.727.1
Trade Balance (million USD) -29,594-31,911-22,881-22,172-37,518
Trade Balance (Including Service) (million USD) -35,007-37,648-27,306-24,765-40,826
Imports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) 19.015.77.6-5.114.5
Exports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) 2.510.013.21.56.5
Imports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 17.319.019.517.418.0
Exports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 8.28.69.49.39.1

Source: World Bank ; Latest available data

Foreign Trade Forecasts 20222023 (e)2024 (e)2025 (e)2026 (e)
Volume of exports of goods and services (Annual % change) 4.2-3.815.48.86.3
Volume of imports of goods and services (Annual % change) 6.3-20.69.96.16.0

Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook ; Latest available data

Note: (e) Estimated Data

 
International Economic Cooperation
Pakistan does not belong to any Customs Union.

It is a member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)

Pakistan has signed Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) with nearly 40 countries. It has also signed ‘Double Taxation Agreements’ with nearly 50 countries.

The country has signed a trade agreement with 21 other countries in the São Paulo Round of the Global System of Trade Preferences among Developing Countries (GSTP).

For more details, visit:

Pakistani Government

Pakistani state

Federal Board of Revenue

 

Main Partner Countries

Main Customers
(% of Exports)		 2021
United States 21.1%
China 10.5%
United Kingdom 7.3%
Germany 5.4%
Netherlands 4.9%
See More Countries 50.8%
Main Suppliers
(% of Imports)		 2021
China 28.3%
United Arab Emirates 10.1%
Indonesia 5.8%
United States 5.3%
Saudi Arabia 5.2%
See More Countries 45.4%

Source: Comtrade, Latest Available Data

 

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Political Outline

Current Political Leaders
President: Arif ALVI (since 9 September 2018)
Prime Minister: Shehbaz SHARIF (since 11 April 2022)
Next Election Dates
Presidential: 2023
Senate: March 2024
National Assembly: 25 July 2023
Main Political Parties
Pakistan has a multi-party system in which no party has a chance of gaining power alone, and parties work with each other to form coalition governments to direct the National Assembly. Political alliances in Pakistan shift very frequently. Some of the major political parties in the country are:

- Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP): a mainstream political party derived out of the Pakistan People's Party
- Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI): centre-left
- Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM): self-proclaimed liberal
- Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA): far-right
- Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam (JUI-F): far right
- Jamaat-e Islami Pakistan(JI): far right
- Awami National Party (ANP): Democratic socialism
- Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP)
- Awami Workers Party (AWP): Left Wing
- Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP): far right

Executive Power
The President is the chief of state and is elected by an Electoral College composed of the members of the Senate, the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies, for a five-year term. The President is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The President is supposed to have a largely ceremonial role; however, Presidents with an army background have played an influential role in mainstream politics throughout Pakistan's history. The Prime Minister is elected by the lower house of the parliament through a vote for a five-year term. The Prime Minister is the head of the government and enjoys the executive powers which include implementation of the law and running the day-to-day affairs of the country. The council of ministers (cabinet) is appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister.
Legislative Power
The legislature in Pakistan is bicameral. The parliament consists of The Senate (the upper house) having 100 seats, with its members indirectly elected by provincial assemblies to serve six-year terms; and the National Assembly (the lower house) having 342 seats, with its members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms (of which 272 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 70 members - 60 women and 10 non-Muslims - directly elected by proportional representation vote). The President can be impeached and removed from his office by a two-thirds majority vote of the National Assembly, but the Constitution of the country also grants the President the unique power to dissolve the National Assembly and also to dismiss the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister cannot dissolve the parliament.
 

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COVID-19 Country Response

COVID-19 epidemic evolution
To find out about the latest status of the COVID19 pandemic evolution and the most up-to-date statistics on the COVID-19 disease in Pakistan, please visit the Pakistan government’s Know About COVID-19 website with the official data.

For the international outlook you can consult the latest situation reports published by the World Health Organisation as well as the global daily statistics on the coronavirus pandemic evolution including data on confirmed cases and deaths by country.
Sanitary measures
To find out about the latest public health situation in Pakistan and the current sanitary measures in vigour, please consult the COVID-19 page.
Travel restrictions
The COVID-19 situation, including the spread of new variants, evolves rapidly and differs from country to country. All travelers need to pay close attention to the conditions at their destination before traveling. Regularly updated information for all countries with regards to Covid-19 related travel restrictions in place including entry regulations, flight bans, test requirements and quarantine is available on TravelDoc Infopage.
It is also highly recommended to consult COVID-19 Travel Regulations Map provided and updated on the daily basis by IATA.
The US government website of Centers of Disease Control and Prevention provides COVID-19 Travel Recommendations by Destination.
The UK Foreign travel advice also provides travelling abroad advice for all countries, including the latest information on coronavirus, safety and security, entry requirements and travel warnings.
Import & export restrictions
For information on all the measures applicable to movement of goods during the period of sanitary emergency due to the COVID-19 outbreak (including eventual restrictions on imports and exports, if applicable), refer to the Federal Board of Revenue’s reports on imports and exports. Actions include: exemption of customs duties on 61 medical goods,  lifting the ban on the export of textile masks and sanitizers and a temporary export ban on certain personal protective equipment.

For a general overview of trade restrictions due to COVID-19 pandemic, please consult the section dedicated to Pakistan on the International Trade Centre's COVID-19 Temporary Trade Measures webpage.
Economic recovery plan
For information on the economic recovery scheme put in place by the Pakistani government to address the impact of the COVID19 pandemic on the Pakistani economy, refer to KPMG Pakistan’s Government and institution measures in response to COVID-19 webpages.

For the general overview of the key economic policy responses to the COVID-19 outbreak (fiscal, monetary and macroeconomic) taken by the Pakistani government to limit the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, please consult the section dedicated to Pakistan in the IMF’s Policy Tracker platform.
Support plan for businesses
For information on the local business support scheme established by the Pakistani government to help small and medium-sized companies to deal with the economic impacts of the COVID19 epidemic on their activity, refer to ResearchGate’s report  COVID-19 (Coronavirus) on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan.

For a general overview of international SME support policy responses to the COVID-19 outbreak refer to the World Bank's Map of SME-Support Measures in Response to COVID-19.
Support plan for exporters
There are no specific support plans for exporters in Pakistan so far. For future possible up-to-date information please visit the website of the Pakistani Ministry of Commerce.
 

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