Quantity and value terms: FBS hesitant to release statistical break-up of exports

HAMID WALEED

LAHORE: The Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) is hesitant in releasing the break up of exports statistics in quantity and value terms, said industry sources.

According to the sources, the FBS is supposed to release detailed facts and figures of exports by 20th of every month. However, there is no clue about the release of data for the month of March, suggesting that the government was trying to hide huge trade deficit from the public. Delay in releasing figures prove that there is abnormal decline in exports and also indicating that the FBS was not sharing it with the concerned quarters, said one industry source.

He said efforts have been made to contact and inquire about the reasons behind the delay in releasing of funds but no tangible answer was received. The FBS website was not able to show exports statistics till date without any genuine reason.

It may be noted that Pakistan's textile exports had declined by 35 - 40 percent decline in quantity terms during the month of January. Chances of abnormal rise were high in the month of March, which is being concealed by the FBS. In value terms, textile exports registered decline by 7 percent during the month of January.

Textile industry had registered record export of 14 billion dollars during last fiscal, which is likely to come down to 12 billion dollars by the end of current fiscal due to unprecedented energy shortage. The government has failed to solve the problem, putting the industry workers into starvation at large scale. As a result of which, the law and order situation has also worsened in the province.