IMF Offers Technical Assistance Mission to Probe Pakistan’s $30 Billion Trade Data Discrepancy

ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has offered to send a technical assistance mission to Pakistan to investigate discrepancies of between **$16.5 billion and $30 billion** in the country’s trade statistics. However, according to government sources, Pakistani authorities have **declined the offer**, insisting they can handle the issue internally.

Sources told *The Express Tribune* that the proposal was made during the **second review meeting** of Pakistan’s ongoing **$7 billion bailout program**. Pakistani officials, however, maintained that they did not require the IMF’s technical support in this matter.

Officials believe one of the main reasons for the mismatch could be that **imports under trade facilitation schemes** were not fully registered. Nonetheless, concerns have been raised that this lack of registration might be linked to **tax evasion or potential trade-based money laundering**, prompting calls for a deeper investigation.

Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) Chief **Dr. Naeem Zafar** rejected the IMF’s offer, stating, *“We do not need external assistance; we can reconcile the data ourselves.”*

According to the report, between **July 2020 and June 2025**, the **Pakistan Single Window (PSW)** recorded imports worth **$321 billion**, while the **State Bank of Pakistan (SBP)** cleared only **$291 billion** worth of imports through the banking system — a **$30 billion gap**.

During the same period, the **Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited (PRAL)**, under the **Federal Board of Revenue (FBR)**, reported **$304.5 billion** in imports, which is **$16.5 billion less** than PSW’s data. Of this, **$12.8 billion** is reportedly linked to the **export facilitation scheme**. Investigators are also examining whether **PRAL officials and importers colluded to evade taxes**.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister **Muhammad Aurangzeb**, speaking in Washington at a session titled *“Reform Efforts and Emerging Challenges,”* indicated upcoming reforms in the FBR. Planning Minister **Ahsan Iqbal** stated that the IMF had been given a detailed explanation on the issue and was now “satisfied.”

The IMF had earlier urged Pakistan to **publicly clarify the multi-billion-dollar gap in trade data** and to adopt a **communication policy promoting transparency**.