Sindh’s external debt rises most in two years, Punjab’s remains the largest

ISLAMABAD: Sindh recorded the biggest increase in external debt among the provinces over the past two years, while Punjab owes the largest amount, according to a Finance Ministry document.

The document says Sindh’s external debt stood at $3.777 billion in June 2024. It rose to $5.616 billion by June 2026, an increase of $1.839 billion.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s external debt rose from $2.378 billion to $2.973 billion, an increase of $595 million.

Punjab’s debt rose from $6.026 billion to $6.402 billion. This is an increase of $376 million, but it is still the highest in size among all the provinces.

Balochistan’s external debt rose from $357 million to $390 million, an increase of $33 million.

Gilgit-Baltistan’s debt rose from $62 million to $69 million. In contrast, the debt of Azad Jammu and Kashmir fell by $29 million, from $209 million to $180 million.

According to the Finance Ministry document, the total external debt of the provincial governments rose by $2.821 billion over the two years and reached $15.63 billion by June 2026.