Pakistan’s imports of iron and steel scrap surged in October 2025 to 381,991 metric tonnes — the highest monthly volume recorded in nearly four years, since November 2021.
The increase reflects a renewed upswing in construction and steel-sector activity across the country, driven by renewed private housing demand and public-sector development projects.
This surge comes amid improving performance in the broader manufacturing sector: large-scale manufacturing registered growth of 4.08% in Q1 FY26, and output in September rose 2.69% year-on-year.
Despite the volume jump, some in the industry dispute claims that increased scrap imports reflect only cheaper global scrap prices — they argue instead the demand is real, stimulated by rising infrastructure and real estate activity.