ISLAMABAD, April 13: Pakistan’s exports during July-March of the fiscal year 2005-06 stood at $12.073 billion as against $10.183 billion in the same period last fiscal year, showing an increase of 18.6 per cent.

According to the provisional trade figures released here on Thursday, the exports in March 2006 totalled $1.521 billion as against $1.347 billion in the same month last year, showing a rise of 12.9 per cent.

The March exports ($1.521 billion) are also up by 19.3 per cent when compared with the exports worth $1.275 billion achieved in February 2006.

During the first nine months of current fiscal year, imports also witnessed 43.2 per cent growth to $20.693 billion from $14.446 billion of the same period last financial year.

The imports in March stood at $2.685 billion, showing an increase of 25.8 per cent as against $2.135 billion realized in the corresponding month last year. The March imports ($2.685 billion) also witnessed 21.5 per cent increase when compared with $2.21 billion imports achieved in February 2006.

The cumulative trade deficit, which was $4.263 billion during July-March of the financial year 2004-05, reached $8.620 billion during the same period this fiscal year.—APP