KARACHI: Pakistan recorded a current account surplus of $459 million in May, the central bank said on Wednesday, reversing a deficit of $276 million in April and extending the improvement in the country’s external position ahead of the new fiscal year.
The latest reading marked a sharp improvement from a deficit of $44 million in May last year and pushed the cumulative current account balance for the first 11 months of fiscal year 2025-26 into surplus territory.
Pakistan’s current account posted a surplus of about $255 million during July-May FY26, compared with a deficit of $1.62 billion in the same period a year earlier, according to State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) data and government figures.
“The current account balance recorded a surplus of $459 million in May 2026 compared to a deficit of $276 million in April 2026,” the SBP said in a social media post accompanying the data.
The current account, which measures the flow of goods, services and transfers into and out of the country, is closely watched by investors because persistent deficits can put pressure on foreign exchange reserves and the currency.
Pakistan has sought to stabilize its external accounts under an International Monetary Fund (IMF) program after facing a balance-of-payments crisis in 2023.
Higher workers’ remittances, relatively contained imports and improved export earnings have helped ease pressure on the external sector over the past year.
Khurram Schehzad, an adviser to the finance minister, described a strong external account as the “foundation of sustainable high economic growth” on social media.
The latest surplus was Pakistan’s fourth in the past five months, he said.
