Pakistan's machinery imports have risen sharply in the current fiscal year, signalling a surge in industrial investment, even as a notable decline in electrical equipment tempers the broader expansion.

According to official figures, total imports of the machinery group increased by 11.73% to $6.99bn during July-February 2025-26, compared with $6.25bn in the same period last year. The rise reflects growing demand for equipment linked to production, infrastructure and technological upgrading.

Data compiled with the support of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics point to strong growth across several segments. Textile machinery imports climbed by 25%, reaching $411.44m from $328.51m, indicating continued investment in a key export-oriented sector.

Construction and mining machinery recorded the most striking increase, surging by 83.28% to $163.68m from $89.31m. This jump suggests heightened activity in infrastructure and development projects.

Imports of agricultural machinery also rose by 17.14%, amounting to $90.82m, while power-generating equipment increased by 9.30% to $543.73m. Office machinery, including data-processing equipment, expanded by 41.48% to $474.29m, highlighting a push towards automation and digitalisation.

Other categories followed a similar upward trend. Telecom-related imports grew by 29.54% to $1.77bn, while mobile phone imports increased by 29.59% to $1.30bn. Additional machinery segments also posted gains, with other apparatus rising by 29.39% and miscellaneous machinery imports up by 26.98%.

However, not all components moved in tandem. Imports of electrical machinery and apparatus declined by 18.96%, falling to $1.74bn from $2.15bn, marking a significant contraction within the broader group.

On a year-on-year basis, machinery imports rose by 4.31% in February 2026, reaching $870.80m compared with $834.82m in the same month last year.

The overall pattern points to strengthening industrial capacity and increased investment in technology, though the divergence across categories suggests that growth remains uneven within the machinery sector.