The Statistical System of Pakistan

for reporting on International Trade in ServicesBy Julian Arkell- International Consultant

2006

Presented by:Samantha Jonsson-ITC (UNCTAD/WTO)

Project Objectives:

-Assess the status of the Government of Pakistan’s work in collecting, compiling and disseminating statistics on the country’s international trade in services.

↓-Assess implementation of the recommendations of UN-approved:

Manual on Statistics of International Trade in Services.

Key Findings:

(1)Pakistan is well on the way to successfully track service trade statistics;

(2) Decision to begin implementing the recommendations of the UN-approved Manual on Statistics of International Trade in Services;

Key Findings:

(3) Key organisations have been given the legal authority in this area:

-Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Statistics (MEAS);

-State Bank of Pakistan (SBP)

Key Findings:

(4) The FBS has begun the inter-agency process of building a central business/enterprise register;

(5) Formal overall coordination mechanism of Ministries re compilation and dissemination of services sector data:

Progress Pakistan:

-The Statistics Division of the FBS, has established a Technical Committee on a Business Register to harmonise the coverage

-Already decided that there will be ONE statistical database- A Single Enterprise Register

-Perhaps under the monitoring of the MOC Standing Committee?

Key Findings:

(6) The SBP has devised a structure for collecting Extended Balance of Payments (EBOPS) data using their ITRS (International Trade Reporting System). 

(7) The SBP is already collecting 8 of the inwards FATS (Foreign Affiliates Trade in Services) variables.

Consequences of not adequately tracking services’ trade statistics:

-Won’t be able to accurately grasp the importance of the services sector

-Won’t be able to accurately assess the effectiveness of services trade promotion strategies

-Won’t be able to accurately assess the impact of services trade agreements to inform negotiations

-Won’t be able to accurately analyse the pattern of service imports

Key messages:

-There is no reason why an economy cannot have complete and timely services trade data- it just needs to be made a priority;

-There are challenges with collection of statistics;

-Help is available

-ITC’s Trade in Services Section has some useful tools

Recommendations:

- Consider Technical recommendations

- Build on the work begun

- Consider working with technical experts to enhance ongoing work

ITC wishes to thank the following organisations in Islamabad, Karachi & Lahore for their involvement in the study:

•Ministry of Commerce•Ministry of Communication

•Ministry of Economic Affairs and Statistics•Ministry of Finance

•Ministry of Industries, Production and Special Initiatives•Ministry of Information Technology

•Ministry of Labour, Manpower & Overseas Pakistanis•Ministry of Science & Technology

•Pakistan Software Board•State Bank of Pakistan

•Trade Development Authority of Pakistan•Air Cargo Agents Association of Pakistan

•Pakistan Hotels Association•Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the WTO (Geneva)