33% Trade Deficit decline contributed by 90% from import side: BMP.

LAHORE -- The Businessmen Panel of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry Chairman Mian Anjum Nisar on Saturday welcomed the significant drop of trade deficit by $4.8 billion to $9.7 billion in first five months of this fiscal year against $14.5 billion deficit of the previous year's July-Nov period. He, however, pointed out that this 33 percent decline in trade deficit is contributed by more than 90 percent from import side not from exports side, as growth in exports remained tepid. He said that trade statistics for July-Nov indicate that annual trade deficit may decrease by $12 billion to $19 billion (from $31 billion) in the current fiscal year. This...