Exports, Industry, Remittances Show Strong Growth as Economy Moves Towards Transformation: Ahsan
ISLAMABAD, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 22nd Aug, 2026)
Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Saturday said Pakistan’s economy had entered a phase of greater stability, with exports, industrial activity and remittances showing encouraging growth.
However, he stressed that the next priority was to translate macroeconomic stability into sustainable economic transformation under URAAN Pakistan initiative.
Presenting the Monthly Development Update for August, the minister said the government was committed to regularly presenting a clear and transparent picture of the country’s economic position, progress achieved and challenges requiring continued attention.
He noted that Pakistan had passed through a difficult period of economic adjustment and the stability achieved over the past few years had been hard-earned.
"Through URAAN Pakistan, our focus is now to translate this stability into sustainable economic transformation, with exports as a key driver, leading to more jobs, better incomes, greater opportunities for our youth and an improved quality of life for the people of Pakistan," he said.
Ahsan observed that the beginning of FY2026-27 had provided encouraging economic signals, with Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation easing to 9.2 per cent in July 2026 from 11.7 per cent in May 2026.
He mentioned that the government was continuously monitoring markets and prices through regular meetings of the National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC), with a focus on strengthening supply chains, ensuring essential commodity quality and taking timely administrative measures to keep essential items affordable.
Workers’ remittances remained a major source of external-sector resilience, reaching US$3.6 billion in July 2026, up 13 per cent from US$3.2 billion in July 2025.
The strong start to FY2026-27 followed record remittances of US$41.6 billion during the previous fiscal year, directly supporting millions of Pakistani households and strengthening the country’s foreign exchange position.
Industrial activity also showed a significant recovery, with Large-Scale Manufacturing (LSM) recording average growth of 5.0 per cent in FY2025-26 against a contraction of 0.7 per cent in the previous year. The recovery was broad-based, with 16 out of 22 sectors posting positive growth.
The external sector also started FY2026-27 on an encouraging note as goods exports increased by 9.4 per cent to US$3.0 billion in July 2026 from US$2.8 billion a year earlier. Total exports of goods and services rose by 13 per cent to US$3.9 billion from US$3.5 billion.
