KARACHI: Pakistan`s total liquid foreign exchange reserves amounted to $23.1 billion on December 16, down $163 million or 0.7 per cent from a week ago, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said on Thursday.

According to a statement released by the central bank, the SBP`s reserves also decreased $133 million to $18,190m. The decrease in SBP`s reserves was due to external debt servicing and other of ficial payments, it said.

Net foreign exchange reserves held by commercial banks amounted to $4.9bn on Dec 9, registering a nominal decrease over the preceding week.