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In recent years, Pakistan’s government has withdrawn various subsidies and taxed incomes from agriculture, retail and real-estate sectors as one of the conditions set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF)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 unveils world’s ‘largest’ Markhor sculpture in Kaghan Valley

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Pakistan unveils world’s ‘largest’ Markhor sculpture in Kaghan Valley

  • Massive structure, standing 105 feet high and 38 feet wide, took five years to complete
  • Authorities aim to draw tourists to mountainous north, raise awareness about species

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has unveiled the world’s “largest” sculpture of the Markhor, the country’s national animal, in the scenic Kaghan Valley, Radio Pakistan reported on Friday, highlighting cultural pride, wildlife heritage and the country’s growing focus on tourism. 

By immortalizing the Markhor in stone, authorities aim to draw tourists to the mountainous north and raise awareness about the species, a symbol of national identity and a conservation-success story.

“The massive structure, standing 105 feet high and 38 feet wide, took five years to complete,” Radio Pakistan reported. “The Kaghan Valley, known for its breath-taking landscapes, now hosts this record-breaking tribute, attracting visitors from across the country and beyond.”

The Markhor, a wild mountain goat native to the high-altitude regions of northern Pakistan, including Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has distinctive corkscrew-shaped horns and remarkable agility on rocky terrain. 

Once heavily threatened by overhunting and habitat loss, the Markhor’s fortunes have rebounded in recent decades thanks to conservation efforts and community protection programs. Its increasing population has led to its conservation status being downgraded from “Endangered” to “Near Threatened.” 

Local tourism officials say the new sculpture is expected to draw significant numbers of visitors to Kaghan Valley, giving a boost to local economies while reinforcing interest in wildlife conservation and Pakistan’s natural heritage.