ISLAMABAD, Xinhua — Pakistan’s exports increased by 25 percent during the first four months of the current fiscal year 2021-2022, compared with the same period of the last fiscal year, said a government official on Monday.

The country’s exports during July-October of 2021 were recorded at 9.468 billion U.S. dollars, slightly lower than the set target of 9.6 billion U.S. dollars, Abdul Razak Dawood, advisor to Pakistani prime minister for commerce and investment, said in a series of tweets.

The export figure in the same period of the last fiscal year was 7.576 billion U.S. dollars, according to Dawood.

Exports in October grew by 17.5 percent to 2.471 billion U.S. dollars, compared to 2.104 billion U.S. dollars in the same month of the last fiscal year, Dawood said.

Imports stood at 24.99 billion U.S. dollars in the first four months of the fiscal year compared to 15.19 billion U.S. dollars during the same period of the last fiscal year, the advisor said.

About 40 percent of the increase in imports was investment-driven which included capital goods, raw materials and other products, indicating expansion of industry and enhanced activity by industry, he said.

The remaining 60 percent was comprised of petroleum, coal and gas, vaccines, food, consumer goods and others, the official added.