Current account posts surplus of $1.07bn in March

Published
An employee of a foreign exchange shop counts U.S. dollar banknotes from behind a glass booth in Karachi on September 7, 2023. — Reuters/File
An employee of a foreign exchange shop counts U.S. dollar banknotes from behind a glass booth in Karachi on September 7, 2023. — Reuters/File

Pakistan recorded a sizable current account surplus in March, it emerged on Wednesday.

In a post on social media platform X, the State Bank of Pakistan said, “Current account balance recorded a surplus of $1,070 million in Mar 2026 compared to a surplus of $231 million in Feb 2026.”

Adviser to the Finance Minister Khurram Schehzad said on X, “Pakistan’s external account continues to strengthen, delivering a third consecutive monthly surplus in 2026.”

He said that the figures for March were “among the strongest monthly outcomes on record”. He said that the surplus was the “second-highest ever”, only behind $1.2bn in March 2025.

“Pakistan’s external sector is firming up, with sustained surpluses signalling improving balance of payments stability,” he said.

The current account deficit — a long-standing issue facing Pakistan’s economy — has been addressed by a significant reduction in imports, resulting in a surplus.

Arif Habib Limited noted that for the first nine months of the current fiscal year, the country had posted a current account surplus of $8 million, compared to a surplus of $1.674bn during the same period last year.

Topline Securities noted that the current account surplus on a month-on-month basis increased due to lower goods and services deficit and higher remittances.

Follow Dawn Business on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for insights on business, finance and tech from Pakistan and across the world.

Opinion

Editorial

AJK violence
Updated 16 Jul, 2026

AJK violence

Violent confrontations have claimed some 30 lives of both security personnel and protesters since last month.
Deadly lapses
16 Jul, 2026

Deadly lapses

PAKISTAN has investigated too many HIV outbreaks over the past decade to still be surprised by the causes. The ...
Doomed tax initiative
16 Jul, 2026

Doomed tax initiative

THE FBR’s draft simplified tax regime for small shopkeepers is the latest in a long line of attempts to persuade...
Beyond declarations
Updated 15 Jul, 2026

Beyond declarations

States that fail to harness the talents of half their population limit their own growth and resilience.
A timely authority
15 Jul, 2026

A timely authority

EVERY summer now seems to bring fresh warnings from Pakistan’s northern mountains. This week was no different, ...
India voter purge
15 Jul, 2026

India voter purge

AFTER over 12 years of BJP rule, minorities in India — particularly its Muslims — face fascist thuggery at the...