Pakistan central bank holds rates at 13.25%

KARACHI - Pakistan's central bank on Tuesday held its main policy rate at 13.25% as it acknowledged economic improvement coupled with continued inflationary pressures.

"While controlling inflation we also have to support sectors that contribute to our exports," Reza Baqir said at the monetary policy announcement.

The bank has held rates steady since July, when it took a pause from a series of hikes, as data pointed to a stabilising inflation rate.

(Reporting by Syed Raza Hassan in Karachi; Editing by Alison Williams) ((charlotte.greenfield@thomsonreuters.com; +92 300 856 6702; Reuters Messaging: charlotte.greenfield.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))