KARACHI: Pakistan’s trade deficit narrowed by 14 per cent for the first six months of the fiscal year 2012/13, to $9.871 billion, compared to the same period last year, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics said.

Exports rose 7.58 per cent to $12.051 billion during the July-Dec period compared to the same period last year,and imports eased to $21.922 billion from $22.678 billion.

On a monthly basis, the trade deficit fell to $1.703 billion in December from $1.711 billion the previous month.

Exports totaled $1.969 billion in December and imports were $3.672 billion.