Pakistan and Malaysia
Pakistan and Malaysia combine a strategic partnership, agriculture and economic contacts. Educational and cultural ties complement this cooperation.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-08 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-08History and institutional framework
Diplomatic relations began in 1957 and were elevated to a strategic partnership on 22 March 2019.
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, goods trade between Pakistan and Malaysia totalled 1,320.2 million current USD.
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, mineral fuels and oils stands out in shipments from Pakistan to Malaysia, at 34 million USD in 2025.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 1,320.25 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / PAK |
| Goods: Pakistan to Malaysia | 348.34 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / PAK |
| Goods: Malaysia to Pakistan | 971.91 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / PAK |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: Pakistan to Malaysia | 1.13 % | 2025 · UN Comtrade / PAK |
| Export share: Malaysia to Pakistan | ||
| Investment stock: Pakistan in Malaysia | ||
| Investment stock: Malaysia in Pakistan |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / PAK · Goods; full year; PAK reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: Pakistan to Malaysia
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / PAK · Goods; full year; PAK reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: Malaysia to Pakistan
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / PAK · Goods; full year; PAK reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Export share: Pakistan to Malaysia
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / PAK · Goods share: PAK exports to the partner / the same reporter's exports to the world, same year.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
Some annual indicators refer to different years. Check the period beside each value before comparing them.
| Indicator | Pakistan | Malaysia |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 407.31 billion USD2025 · WB | 472.19 billion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 1,595.91 USD2025 · WB | 13,124.56 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 3.7 %2025 · WB | 5.17 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | 11.5 %2026-09-14 · SBP | |
| Inflation · annual average | 3.55 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 1.38 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 10.3 %Year-on-year · Sept. 2026 · PBS | |
| Unemployment | 5.42 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 3.76 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -5.4 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -3.5 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 72.8 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 70.7 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -0.11 %2025 · WB | 1.69 %2024 · WB |
| Population | 255,219,5542025 · WB | 35,977,8382025 · WB |
| Area | 796,100 km²2023 · BM / FAO | 330,411 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDPakistan: 2025 · World BankMalaysia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personPakistan: 2025 · World BankMalaysia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)Pakistan: 2025 · World BankMalaysia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)Pakistan: 2026-09-14 · State Bank of Pakistan policy rate · State Bank of Pakistan
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)Pakistan: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World BankMalaysia: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedPakistan: 2026-09 · Change in headline CPI from the same month of the previous year (%) · Pakistan Bureau of Statistics · Published: 2026-10-01 · National headline CPI published rounded to one decimal place; not the quarterly average, Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) or Wholesale Price Index (WPI).
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionPakistan: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.Malaysia: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)Pakistan: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Malaysia: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)Pakistan: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Malaysia: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPPakistan: 2025 · World BankMalaysia: 2024 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Population
- PeoplePakistan: 2025 · World BankMalaysia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourcePakistan: 2023 · Total area, including inland waters; source's territorial coverage · World Bank · FAOMalaysia: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
Pakistan to Malaysia
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Mineral fuels and oils | 34 M USD2025 · Source |
| Metal ores | 11.4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 1.1 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 0.572 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 0.179 M USD2025 · Source |
| Meat and edible offal | 0.0562 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 0.0309 M USD2025 · Source |
Malaysia to Pakistan
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Mineral fuels and oils | 66.4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 53.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 16.6 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 13.5 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 1.2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Meat and edible offal | 0.81 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 0.517 M USD2025 · Source |
How trade has changed
Billions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | Pakistan to Malaysia | Malaysia to Pakistan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,698 | 382.8 | 1,315.2 |
| 2022 | 1,437.3 | 374.6 | 1,062.6 |
| 2023 | 1,230.1 | 462 | 768.2 |
| 2024 | 1,474.5 | 515.1 | 959.4 |
| 2025 | 1,320.2 | 348.3 | 971.9 |
Connections between people
Contacts between people and relations between governments are distinct dimensions. Published counts appear in the table with their date and definition; a resident community is not inferred from trade or diplomatic representation. [1]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from Pakistan living in Malaysia | ||
| Residents from Malaysia living in Pakistan | ||
| Study and training: Pakistan in Malaysia | ||
| Study and training: Malaysia in Pakistan | ||
| Academic stays: Pakistan in Malaysia | ||
| Academic stays: Malaysia in Pakistan | ||
| Travel: Pakistan to Malaysia | ||
| Travel: Malaysia to Pakistan |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
History and institutional framework
Diplomatic relations began in 1957 and were elevated to a strategic partnership on 22 March 2019. Shehbaz Sharif's visit to Malaysia from 5 to 7 October 2025 reviewed trade, investment and bilateral institutions. [1]
The scale of both economies
Nominal GDP for Pakistan is 407.3 billion USD (2025), compared with 472.2 for Malaysia (2025). The reference populations are 255.22 and 35.98 million, respectively. In the same year, the economy of Pakistan was 0.863 times that of Malaysia in nominal GDP. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [5] [6] [7] [8]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Review: 2026-10-08
Cooperation and bilateral issues
The declaration envisages exploring agricultural research, innovation and sustainable production; these directions are not proof of completed facilities. Economic cooperation and diplomatic priorities are distinguished from observed trade figures. [1]
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, merchandise trade between the two countries (Pakistan and Malaysia) totalled 1,320.2 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 348.3 million; those in the opposite direction, 971.9 million. The difference between the two flows was 623.6 million, in favour of Malaysia. This is a goods balance, not the total balance of the economic relationship: it excludes services, income and transfers. Both directions come from a single customs reporter to avoid adding mirror records. [2]
The partner's share of exports
Sales from Pakistan to the partner represented 1.13% of its worldwide goods exports in 2025. The share compares the same reporter, year and coverage. It measures export concentration, not the percentage of GDP dependent on this relationship. A partner may be important in a specific sector even if its share of total goods trade is small. [2]
Five years of trade trends
The consistent series shows 1,698 million USD in 2021 and 1,320.2 million in 2025. The change between the two endpoints was -22.2 % in current dollars. The highest annual value in the period was recorded in 2021, at 1,698 million. The chart allows the two directions to be compared to see whether they moved together or differently. The change combines quantities, prices and exchange rates; it is not automatically attributed to a treaty, a visit or a political decision. The same reporter is retained and missing years are not interpolated. [3]
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, mineral fuels and oils stands out in shipments from Pakistan to Malaysia, at 34 million USD in 2025. Within the selected chapters, mineral fuels and oils stands out in shipments from Malaysia to Pakistan, at 66.4 million USD in 2025. The table compares eight selected chapters with the same coverage as the trade total. It is not a complete list or proof that the first item in this selection is the leading product across the entire relationship. A chapter groups numerous goods: machinery and components, for example, do not describe a single business transaction. [4]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Bilateral relations — PAK-MYS
mofa.gov.pk · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Annual TOTAL X/M; 2025; reporter 586; partners 0,616,8,32,51,40,48,112,56,208,233,246,270,268,288,398,417,428,434,440,458,462,504,104,528,562,579,512,608,620,634,646,686,705,752,762,834,764,788,704,716,784,818,31,50,116,191,348,414,275,706,760,860,887
UN Comtrade / PAK · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Trade series 2021–2025
UN Comtrade / PAK · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade; reporters PAK · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-09-17
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-06
- SP.POP.TOTL; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade; reporters PAK
2026-10-08 · Accessed: 2026-10-08 · Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record.