Pakistan’s exports to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries fell 12% in July 2026 compared to the same month last year, according to the Commerce Ministry. Imports from the region dropped even further, down 32.5% year-on-year. The ministry says the fall comes down to a breakdown in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz after the interim US-Iran truce collapsed in July 2026.
How each Gulf market performed (exports, year-on-year):
- UAE: down 9.5%, to $144.6 million
- Saudi Arabia: down 20.5%, to $42 million
- Oman: down 3.7%, to $15.8 million
- Bahrain: down 50.8%, to $2.3 million
- Kuwait: down 7.4%, to $7.4 million
- Qatar: down 4.2%, to $8.7 million
Imports told a different story in places:
- Overall GCC imports: down 32.5%, to just over $1 billion
- UAE: down 34.2%
- Saudi Arabia: down 4.7%
- Bahrain: down 44.4%
- Kuwait: down 92.8%
- Qatar: down 96.1%
- Oman: the exception, up 67.7%, to $290.2 million
The Commerce Ministry traces the drop back to maritime security problems after the US-Iran truce broke down. The Strait of Hormuz usually sees 70 to 80 ships cross it every day. That number has fallen to as few as six a day, with hundreds of vessels stuck waiting outside the strait instead. The ministry also said Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps has been telling ships they need its permission to pass through, backing that up with threats.
