The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) has revised and updated the country’s monthly and annual import data after identifying discrepancies worth billions of dollars, a move aimed at meeting the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) requirements.
The revisions, which amount to as much as $30 billion over certain periods, are expected to have a significant impact on Pakistan’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data. The PBS has incorporated the revised import figures across various key sectors of the economy.
According to senior government officials, the PBS has prepared a comprehensive report on the revisions and submitted it to the Ministry of Finance. The ministry is currently reviewing the report and is expected to publish it by the end of August.
The discrepancies emerged after significant differences were identified between import data reported by the PBS and the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). The issue was initially highlighted in trade data with China before further discrepancies were identified in certain tariff lines that had not been captured by the PBS.
The Pakistan Single Window and other relevant institutions were subsequently involved in reconciling the discrepancies. The IMF also took up the issue and required the PBS to prepare a comprehensive report by the end of August 2026. The Ministry of Finance is now reviewing the report because of its potential impact on the country’s GDP and other economic indicators.
The IMF said in its last review that Pakistan needed to strengthen procedures for collecting and aggregating import data and ensure transparency regarding the impact of the discrepancies. It required the PBS to publish revised monthly and annual import statistics, along with explanations, by the end of August 2026. The IMF’s next review mission under Pakistan’s $7 billion Extended Fund Facility is expected to visit the country by early September 2026.
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