ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s external borrowing increased significantly during the first quarter of the current fiscal year as the government secured funds from multiple international sources to meet its financial requirements.
According to documents from the Economic Affairs Division (EAD), Pakistan obtained $5.4496 billion in external loans between July and September, compared with $1.81 billion during the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.
The figures show that external borrowing increased by approximately $3.63 billion year-on-year during the July–September quarter. The documents also detail the various sources from which the funds were secured.
International bond issuances accounted for the largest share of the borrowing, generating $2.94 billion during the three-month period. Pakistan also received $942.7 million through the Naya Pakistan Certificates scheme and secured $300 million in loans from foreign commercial banks.
During the same period, $894.1 million was obtained from international financial institutions, while $58.1 million came from various countries. Institution-wise figures show that the World Bank provided $359 million, while the Asian Development Bank (ADB) extended $153.5 million.
The documents put the total value of external borrowing during the first quarter at approximately Rs1.515 trillion. This represents an increase of more than Rs1 trillion compared with the same period of the previous fiscal year.
A breakdown of the borrowing shows that non-project loans accounted for more than Rs1.26 trillion, while Rs254.8 billion was secured through project loans for various development initiatives.
The figures indicate a substantial year-on-year increase in Pakistan’s external borrowing during the first three months of the current fiscal year.
