Pakistan continues to struggle with its global perception, not only because of the economic and governance challenges it faces, but also because of the way it presents itself through data.
International rankings and indices often penalise Pakistan, not always because there has been no progress, but because the country relies on outdated, incomplete, and unrepresentative statistics. At the centre of this problem is the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the state institution responsible for collecting and disseminating official data. Unfortunately, the PBS has not kept pace with the changing demands of a dynamic economy or with international standards of statistical reporting.
One glaring example is the Labour Force Survey. The latest version available was released in 2021, but it essentially reflects the realities of 2019–2020, during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. This means that Pakistan’s official labour market data, used by international organisations, reflects an era of lockdowns, economic contraction, and social distress. As a result, when the world looks at Pakistan today, it sees a country frozen in a moment of crisis, rather than one that has made incremental progress in the years since. Key developments of the past five years, such as the rise of digital platforms, youth-led entrepreneurship, women’s participation in online workspaces and post-pandemic recovery, are missing from the record.
This time-lag in reporting undermines Pakistan’s credibility internationally. Global institutions like the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the UN rely on such data when ranking and assessing countries. When they see Pakistan operating with datasets that are years behind, they interpret it as a failure of governance and statistical capacity. The absence of up-to-date data deprives Pakistanis of recognition for their resilience and progress, while policymakers at home are left without the evidence they need for sound decision-making.
But the problem runs deeper than timing alone. It is also about methodology. The PBS continues to operate with frameworks that belong to an earlier era, focusing primarily on the formal economy. In a country where more than 70 per cent of the workforce is employed in the informal sector, such an approach systematically undercounts reality. Millions of workers, street vendors, artisans, gig workers, home-based producers and small traders remain invisible. Likewise, the care economy, which consists of unpaid domestic and caregiving work largely performed by women, is completely excluded from the labour force survey. In developed countries, these contributions are increasingly recognised as critical to social and economic well-being. In Pakistan, they are treated as if they do not exist.
The result is predictable. Pakistan ranks at the bottom of the WEF Global Gender Gap Index, especially in labour force participation and wage equality. Yet these rankings do not necessarily reflect the full reality of women’s contributions. Pakistani women are active in households, farms, informal networks and, increasingly, digital spaces. But because the PBS does not formally recognise or record this work, it is absent from international comparisons. The country, therefore, appears to be failing more completely than it actually is, while women’s struggles and contributions remain overlooked in policy debates.
This is why reforming the PBS is not a technical issue but a strategic national priority. In the twenty-first century, data is power. It shapes global investment flows, trade negotiations, development assistance and even diplomatic standing. Countries are judged not only on their performance but also on the quality of their evidence. For Pakistan to continue presenting statistics that are outdated, narrow, and incomparable is to weaken its hand in international forums voluntarily.
What is required is a fundamental modernisation of the PBS. First, the bureau must integrate technology into every stage of its work. Artificial intelligence, big data mining and real-time digital surveys can significantly reduce the lag between ground realities and reported figures. Mobile-based data collection, integration of administrative records and AI-driven validation processes can produce more accurate and timely results. Instead of waiting three to five years for critical datasets, Pakistan should be able to publish quarterly or annual updates.
Second, the PBS must expand its methodological scope. Counting only formal employment is no longer sufficient. The informal sector is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, and ignoring it distorts every indicator of labour force participation, productivity, and poverty. Similarly, the inclusion of the care economy is vital. Recognising the unpaid labour performed by women would not only improve Pakistan’s global standing but also create the basis for more gender-sensitive policies at home. The ILO and the UN have developed frameworks that could easily be adapted to Pakistan’s context, offering both credibility and comparability.
Third, the PBS must align itself with global standards. International indices are designed to penalise countries that rely on old or non-comparable data. By adopting internationally recognised methodologies and keeping pace with reporting cycles, Pakistan can prevent being unfairly ranked at the bottom. Such alignment would also strengthen the country’s case when negotiating with international financial institutions or making claims about progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.
Finally, Pakistan’s policymakers need to see the PBS not as a bureaucratic department but as a strategic institution of governance and reputation management. Reliable and timely data empowers policymakers to plan more effectively, improves accountability, and builds trust with citizens. Internationally, it signals seriousness and credibility, helping Pakistan attract investment and build partnerships on more equal terms. Neglecting the PBS, on the other hand, ensures that Pakistan’s story continues to be told by others, often based on half-truths or outdated evidence.
To achieve this transformation, there must be political will and investment. Historically, governments have treated statistics as secondary, focusing on visible projects rather than invisible systems. But without credible data, even the best projects cannot be properly evaluated, nor can progress be communicated. Investing in the PBS’s modernisation, through training, technology and updated frameworks, should therefore be considered as important as investing in roads, energy, or education. In fact, without reliable statistics, progress in those very sectors cannot be effectively measured or communicated.
Pakistan today stands at a critical juncture. Its youth-led digital economy is expanding, women are entering new spaces of participation, and entrepreneurs are creating resilience in the face of economic hardship. But if these gains remain invisible in the data, they will not shape policy, nor will they shift Pakistan’s image abroad. The choice is clear: either Pakistan updates its data systems and takes control of its own narrative, or it allows itself to be perpetually underestimated and misrepresented.
Ultimately, the modernisation of the PBS is about more than numbers. It is about reclaiming Pakistan’s story, ensuring that the sacrifices and achievements of its people are visible, and positioning the country more fairly on the global stage. Without timely, comprehensive and globally aligned data, Pakistan risks being trapped in outdated stereotypes. With it, the country can project its progress, confront its challenges honestly and claim the credibility it deserves in the international community.
The writer is a public policy expert and leads the Country Partner Institute of the World Economic Forum in Pakistan. He tweets/posts amirjahangir and can be reached at: ajmishal.com.pk