Pakistan’s external debt surpasses $135 billion

Pakistan’s total external debt has nearly doubled over the past decade, surpassing $135 billion in 2025, according to the latest report released by the World Bank.

The report shows that Pakistan’s external debt stood at approximately $69 billion in 2015. However, it increased to more than $135 billion by 2025, highlighting the country’s growing reliance on external borrowing.

According to the World Bank, Pakistan owes more than $107 billion in public and publicly guaranteed external debt. Meanwhile, the private sector’s non-guaranteed external debt stood at $17.58 billion.

The country’s short-term external debt has also increased, reaching $10.45 billion, adding to its external financial obligations.

The report further revealed that China extended the repayment period of $2 billion in loans to Pakistan in 2025, providing some relief to the country’s external financing position.

During the same year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) disbursed an additional $2.3 billion to Pakistan under its Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) programmes.

The World Bank report also highlighted Pakistan’s outstanding obligations to multilateral lenders. Pakistan owes $16.83 billion to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The figures underline the significant increase in Pakistan’s external debt over the past decade, as the country continues to depend on international financial institutions and bilateral partners to meet its financing requirements and manage repayment obligations.