Pakistan revises import data to meet IMF requirements

Pakistan has updated its import data following the identification of discrepancies worth billions of dollars. The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) completed these revisions to meet requirements set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which requested revised monthly import statistics for the period of 2020-25.

The discrepancies, which could reach $30 billion over certain periods, were discovered after officials noted major differences between PBS and State Bank of Pakistan records. The issue initially surfaced during reviews of trade data involving China and later expanded to include problems with tariff lines and import calculations. These changes are expected to significantly affect Pakistan’s gross domestic product (GDP) figures.

In July, Pakistan's import bill saw a broad-based increase. Food imports reached USD 805.4 million, including items such as baby milk, spices, and palm oil. Machinery imports also saw a sharp rise of 41 per cent to USD 1.31 billion, covering equipment for power generation, textiles, and telecommunications. Transport equipment imports also climbed by 40 per cent during the same period.