Pakistan cement exports decline for third consecutive month in Nov.

A labourer moves sacks of cement from one truck to another bound for Afghanistan at a transit depot in Peshawar, Pakistan September 16, 2015. (Reuters/File)
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Updated 02 December 2025
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Pakistan cement exports decline for third consecutive month in Nov.

  • Cement exports declined in November by a massive 26.53 percent to 590,183 tons on a year-on-year basis
  • Manufacturers say the sector can grow provided the government gives concessions on duties and taxes

KARACHI: Pakistan’s cement exports declined for a third consecutive month in November by a massive 26.53 percent to 590,183 tons on a year-on-year basis, the All-Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) said on Tuesday.

Cement exports declined by around 23 percent in October 2025 and 15 percent in September 2025. The APTCMA logged Pakistan’s total cement exports in Nov. 2024 at 803,258 tons. Domestic cement dispatches in Nov. were 3.549 million tons, showing a marginal increase of 2.23 percent.

The country’s overall cement dispatches last month stood at 4.14 million tons as compared to 4.275 million tons dispatched during the same month of the last fiscal year, showing a decline of 3.17 percent, according to the APTCMA.

A spokesman for the All-Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association urged the government to frame industry friendly policies that can reduce the cost of business and make Pakistani cement competitive in regional and global markets.

“We can achieve growth provided the government gives concessions on duties and taxes that will ultimately benefit the end-consumer,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

In recent years, Pakistan’s government has withdrawn various subsidies and taxed incomes from agriculture, retail and real-estate sectors as one of the conditions set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under its 37-month, $7 billion loan program Islamabad secured in September last year.

The country’s official data for November indicated a substantial contraction in exports, rising import pressures and a widening cumulative trade deficit, posing serious challenges.

Pakistan’s overall exports in November dropped sharply to $2.398 billion, a 15.8 percent decline compared to October 2025, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) figures. Imports decreased by 13.7 percent month-on-month, reaching $5.253 billion.

But the reduction in imports was insufficient to offset the export slump and consequently, the monthly trade deficit stood at $2.855 billion, an 11.9 percent increase over October.
 


Pakistan urges pilgrims to complete Saudi biometrics as Hajj preparations gain pace

Updated 30 January 2026
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Pakistan urges pilgrims to complete Saudi biometrics as Hajj preparations gain pace

  • Government warns pilgrims biometric verification is required for Hajj visas
  • Step follows tighter oversight after last year’s Hajj travel disruptions

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government on Friday urged aspiring pilgrims to complete mandatory Saudi biometric verification for Hajj visas, as preparations for the 2026 pilgrimage gather pace following stricter oversight of the Hajj process.

The announcement comes only a day after Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousuf said regulations for private Hajj operators had been tightened, reducing their quota following widespread complaints last year, when tens of thousands of pilgrims were unable to travel under the private Hajj scheme.

“Saudi biometric verification is mandatory for the issuance of Hajj visas,” the Ministry of Religious Affairs said in a statement, urging pilgrims to complete the process promptly to avoid delays.

“Hajj pilgrims should complete their biometric verification at home using the ‘Saudi Visa Bio’ app as soon as possible,” it added.

The statement said the pilgrims who were unable to complete biometric verification through the mobile application should visit designated Saudi Tasheer centers before Feb. 8, adding that details of the centers were available on Pakistan’s official Hajj mobile application.

Pakistan has been steadily implementing digital and procedural requirements for pilgrims ahead of Hajj 2026, including mandatory training sessions, biometric checks and greater use of mobile applications, as part of efforts to reduce mismanagement.

Saudi Arabia has allocated Pakistan a quota of 179,210 pilgrims for Hajj 2026, with the majority of seats reserved under the government scheme and the remainder allocated to private tour operators.