ISLAMABAD, Jan 3: Pakistan's total trade with Saarc member countries registered an increase of 5.8 per cent to $497.989 million in 2002-03 against $470.781 million in 2001-02.

Official sources told Dawn on Saturday that Pakistan's total trade with these countries, however, declined by 13.21 per cent during the same period under review when compared with the trade volume of 2000-01 which stood at $ 573.789 million.

According to the officials, Pakistan's major regional trading partner in 2002-03 was India followed by Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, while the other trading partners remained at a very low level.

Elaborating the reasons for slowing down of Pakistan's trade with these countries, the officials said it was mainly due to the 9/11 followed by the air, road suspension between Pakistan and India.

Official statistics available with Dawn showed that Pakistan exported goods worth $267.611m to Saarc-member countries during 2002-03 against $226.684m in 2001-02, showing an increase of 18 per cent.

On the other hand, Pakistan imported goods worth $230.378m in the year under review against $244.097m, showing a decrease of 5.6 per cent.

Officials said that the total trade of Pakistan with Saarc countries remained between $300-500m during the past 10 years. Pakistan's exports have registered a marginal growth from $258.9m in 1992-93 to $267.611m in 2003-04.

But Islamabad's imports have almost remained stagnant during this period except for in 1996-97, when it registered an increase from $149m in 1992-93 to $285.9m in the 1996-97. However, it was 2000-01, when the country's imports slashed up to $305.04m.

Similarly, during the 1997-98, Saarc countries' share in Pakistan's total export accounted for only 3.5 per cent and 2.3 per cent of its total imports.

Further break-up showed that out of total Pakistan exports to Saarc member countries, Islamabad exported goods to India worth $70.664m during 2002-03; $114.356m to Bangladesh; $76.100m to Sri Lanka; $3.077m to Nepal; $3.307m to Maldives and 0.107m to Bhutan.

Pakistan's total import bill stood at $230.378m during the year 2002-03, out of which, Islamabad imported goods worth $166.509 from India during the year under review; $32.665m from Bangladesh; $30m from Sri Lanka; $1.130m from Nepal; $0.07m from Bhutan and $0.004 from Maldives.