| Questions | Answers | Key words |
| 1. What is External trade statistics? | External trade statistics encompass data on a country’s imports and exports, detailing the value, quantity, and nature of goods and services exchanged internationally | External trade statistics |
| 2. Why the External trade statistics are important? | These statistics are useful for assessing a nation’s economic health, understanding market trends and formulating effective trade policies.’ | Nation’s economic health |
| 3. Where one can find External trade statistics? | External trade statistics are typically published by government agencies such as national statistical offices, customs authorities, and international organizations like the WTO and IMF | Customs authorities |
| 4. Which agency is responsible for compilation of External trade Statistics in Pakistan? | Pakistan Bureau of Statistics is responsible for compilation, updating and publishing of External Trade Statistics. | Pakistan Bureau of Statistics |
| 5. How often are trade statistics updated in Pakistan? | This varies country wise, mostly countries providing monthly or quarterly data. Annual and Quarterly reports. In Pakistan since 1948 monthly, quarterly and annually external trade statistics are updated regularly by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. | Annual and Quarterly reports |
| 6. How are trade deficit and surpluse calculated in foreign trade statistics? | A trade deficit means when a country’s imports exceed its exports, while a trade surplus means when exports surpass imports. The trade balance is calculated by subtracting imports from exports. | Trade deficit and surpluse |
| 7. What is the significance of trade deficit/surplus in External trade statistics? | The trade deficit/surplus representing the difference between exports and imports, mostly used for understanding a nation’s economic health. A surplus or deficit impacts the overall trade scenario. | Significance of trade deficit/surplus |
| 8. How do impact currency exchange rate on foreign trade statistics? | Currency exchange rate impacts the value of imports and exports, influencing external trade statistics. This also can affect a country’s market competitiveness in international trade. | Currency exchange rate impacts |
| 9. What role do tariffs play in foreign trade statistics? | External trade statistics can be influenced by imports duties/tariffs. This effects the demand and cost of goods which may leads to shift the import/export patterns of the country. | Imports duties/tariffs. |
| 10. Which Agency is responsible for currency exchange rate in Pakistan? | State Bank of Pakistan is responsible for publishing of currency exchange rate. | Currency exchange rate |
| 11.External Trade Statistics can be helpful in economic business activities? | Yes, External trade statistics can be helpful to identify market trends, assess demand, and make informed decisions about entering or expanding in specific markets. | Economic business activities |
| 12. What is meant by CIF in external Trade Statistics? | CIF (Cost, Insurance, and Freight) terms is used in external trade statistics that refer the responsibility of goods and cost between exporter and importer. | CIF (Cost, Insurance, and Freight) |
| 13.What is meant by FOB in External trade statistics? | FOB (Free on Board) terms is used in external trade statistics that refer the responsibility of goods and cost between exporter and importer. | FOB (Free on Board) |
| 14. Who compile CIF and FOB in Pakistan. | Pakistan Custom responsible for the compilation of CIF and FOB. | Pakistan Custom |
| 15.In Pakistan on which basis exports are calculated? | In Pakistan exports are calculated on FOB basis. | Exports are calculated on FOB basis |
| 16.In Pakistan on which basis imports are calculated? | In Pakistan imports are valued on CIF basis. | Imports are valued on CIF basis. |
| 17.In Pakistan which data source is used for the compilation of external Trade Statistics? | Pakistan custom data is used for the compilation of external trade Statistics. PRAL (Pakistan Revenue Automation (Pvt.) Ltd which is subsidiary of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) provides custom data electronically. | Pakistan custom data |
| 18.Which coding scheme is used for the compilation of external Trade Statistics? | HS (Harmonized Coding System )of world Custon Organization(WCO ) used for the compilation of External Trade Statistics. | HS (Harmonized Coding System ) |
| 19.what is the important of Harmonized coding System (HS) in external trade statistics? | HS coding system make possible the uniformity in the trade statistics for the classification of product at international level. | Classification of product |
| 20.Which HS classification is used in external Trade Statistics compilation in Pakistan? | HS,2023-2024. | HS,2023-2024 |
| 21. How global supply chain disruptions can affect foreign trade statistics? | Disruptions which includes natural disasters or pandemics, may significantly impact the trade statistics by affecting the value chain of production, shipping, and demand of goods. | value chain of production, shipping, and demand of goods |
| 22.what are the major exports of Pakistan? | The Major exports of Pakistan are Knitwear, Readymade garments, Bed wear, Cotton Cloth, Towels, Cotton Yarn Vegetables and Petroleum products. | Major exports of Pakistan |
| 23.What are the major imports of Pakistan? | The Main imports of Pakistan are Natural gas, Petroleum product, Petroleum crude, Electric machinery & apparatus, Palm oil, Plastic Materials, Mobile phone, Fertilizer manufactured and Iron and steel. | Major imports of Pakistan |
| 24.What are the Major exporting countries of Pakistan? | The United States remained Pakistan’s top export destination, with China, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, the UAE, Italy, Afghanistan, and Belgium following suit in that order. | Pakistan’s top export destination |
| 25.What are the Major importing counteies of Pakistan? | Pakistan’s top imports originate from China, with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Qatar, Kuwait, the United States, Japan, Thailand, and Singapore trailing behind in that order. | Pakistan’s top imports destination |
| 26. How trade intensity is measured? | Trade intensity is measured by taking the ratio of total trade to the GDP of a country. | Trade intensity |
| 27. How trade openness is measured? | Trade openness is measured by taking the share of trade in a total economy of the country. | Trade openness |
| 27. What are the Trade Statistics of Pakistan During FY23? | In fiscal year 2023, Pakistan’s exports stood at US$ 27.724 billion, marking a significant decline of 12.8 percent from the US$ 31.728 billion reported in the previous year. Imports totaled US$ 55.198 billion, reflecting a 31.1 percent decrease from the US$ 80.137 billion recorded in the preceding year. Consequently, the trade deficit in fiscal year 2023 contracted by 43.2 percent to US$ 27.474 billion, compared to US$ 48.355 billion in the previous year. | Keyword: Trade Statistics of Pakistan |
| 28. What types of Trade Indices PBS are compiling? | The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) compiles various types of trade indices on quarterly basis, including: | Trade indices |
| 1. Unit Value Indices of export | ||
| 2. Unit Value Indices of import | ||
| 3. Quantum Indices of export | ||
| 4. Quantum Indices of import | ||
| 5. Terms of Trade | ||
| 29. Which year is used as a base year for compilation of trade indices? | At present, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) compilation of trade indices on the bsis of 2017-18 base year. | Base year. |
| 30. How Trade data of export and import is classified into economic category? | Export data is categorised economically into three groups | Economic category |
| 1. Primary commodities | ||
| 2. Semi-manufactured goods | ||
| 3. Manufactured goods | ||
| While imports data are classified on the basis of Broad Economic Category Version 5 (BEC 5) into following groups: | ||
| 1. Consumers goods | ||
| 2. Consumer/Intermediate goods | ||
| 3. Consumer / capital goods | ||
| 4. Intermediate goods | ||
| 5. Intermediate/ consumer goods | ||
| 6. Intermediate / capital goods | ||
| 7. Capital goods | ||
| 8. Capital /consumer goods | ||
| 9. Capital/ intermediate goods | ||
| 31. In how many commdodit groups export data is published? | PBS publish export data showing 4 main groups and 46 commodity groups. | Export commodity groups |
| 32. In how many commdodit groups import data is published? | PBS publish export data showing 8 main groups and 46 commodity groups. | Import commodity groups |
