Category 1 - Prime Institute

Pakistan needs economic transformation by changing incentive structure, Asad Umar

04/05/2021by PRIME Institute PRIME Institute No Comments

Setting the Scene

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Asad Umar has said that Pakistan needs economic transformation by redefining resource allocation and incentive structure. Asad Umar was addressing a seminar organized at the Planning Commission in which the Economic Advisory Group/PRIME Institute gave a presentation outlining a conceptual framework for economic transformation. The seminar was attended by Planning Commission members, senior staff, representatives from other ministries, think tanks and academia.

Pakistan needs to switch from ‘borrowed growth’ to ‘earned growth’

04/05/2021by PRIME Institute PRIME Institute No Comments

Setting the Scene

The Economic Advisory Group (EAG), an independent policy network, recognises the need for achieving high growth rate, as stated by the new Finance Minister. However, the EAG emphasises that for any such growth to be sustainable it must involve addressing the distortions in the prevailing incentive structure which have continued to undermine efficient allocation of resources in the economy. In this respect, the group has urged the government to remain committed to structural reforms and fiscal discipline. The group has cautioned that the economy will keep undergoing the boom-bust cycles that entails repeated balance of payment crises if governments continue to rely on expansionary macroeconomic policies to generate high growth. With elections only two years away, there is an increased likelihood that the government will be tempted to pursue this path, based on historical pattern.

Manufactured products’ exports: Technical Barriers to Trade faced by exporters in South and SEA countries

03/05/2021by PRIME Institute PRIME Institute No Comments

Setting the Scene

This study was carried out from the 7th to 25th of July 2016 by PRIME (Policy Research Institute of Market Economy), Islamabad, as a part of a CUTS International and Australia Aid Project entitled “Geneva Trade and Business Connexion: South and South East Asia”.

Barriers for SMEs to export at regional and international level

03/05/2021by PRIME Institute PRIME Institute No Comments

Setting the Scene

SMEs in Pakistan are widely reported to represent 30 percent of national GDP, 25 percent of exports of manufactured goods, and 35 percent of manufacturing value added. Other estimates put the number of SMEs contribution to exports at 70 percent. The reality is that these estimates are outdated and unreliable, based on an economic census conducted thirteen years ago, a time frame during which Pakistan’s economy has changed significantly.

The WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement: Main Issues Faced by SMEs in S&SE Asian Countries and Their Solution

03/05/2021by PRIME Institute PRIME Institute No Comments

Bed, table, toilet and kitchen linens
Exports to the US Market: Technical
Barriers to Trade faced by exporters in
Pakistan

Setting the Scene

This study was carried out from the 3rd to 24th June 2016 by PRIME (Policy Research Institute of Market Economy), Islamabad as a part of a CUTS International and Australia Aid Project entitled “Geneva Trade and Business Connation: South and South East Asia”.

The WTO Agreement on Trade in Services: Main Issues Faced by SMEs in Pakistan and Their Solution

03/05/2021by PRIME Institute PRIME Institute No Comments

Setting the Scene

Trading with China: Challenges and Policy Issues faced by Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in South and South East Asia

03/05/2021by PRIME Institute PRIME Institute No Comments

Setting the Scene

This Country Update Note examines the constraints faced by Pakistan’s micro, small and medium-sized firms in exporting to Chinese market. It informs on the composition of Pakistan’s exports to China, distribution along firm size and across sectors, tariffs and non-tariff barriers and the use of trade preferences under Pak-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed in 2007. The study uses a mix methodology. It analyses firmlevel export data for the recent period (from 1-1-2017 to 31-12-2018).

Women Exporters: What are their Special Challenges?

03/05/2021by PRIME Institute PRIME Institute No Comments

Setting the Scene

Globally, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) play a pivotal role in the socioeconomic development of a country. Pakistan is no exception, where the MSMEs contribute 40 percent[1] in national GDP, 25 percent in export earnings, 35 percent in manufacturing value added and 80 percent in the employment of non-agricultural labor force. The MSMEs are mainly concentrated in the trade, manufacturing and service sector. As far as women-run MSMEs are concerned, Pakistan has the lowest rate of female entrepreneurship in the world standing at 1 percent.

Mapping of Land and Maritime Transport: Key Figures, Structure and the Current National Regulations

03/05/2021by PRIME Institute PRIME Institute No Comments

It is a well-established fact that an efficient transport system plays a pivotal role in enhancing economic growth, reducing poverty and attaining Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Globally, investments in transport sector have significantly enhanced trade volume and human development through increased mobility. As far as Pakistan is concerned, the transport system generally comprises of roads, railway, aviation, ports and shipping services.

S&SEA Rice Exports: Challenges in relation with the new EU MRL

03/05/2021by PRIME Institute PRIME Institute No Comments

Agriculture serves as the backbone of Pakistan’s economy as it contributes 19.5 percent to gross domestic product (GDP), employs 42.3 percent of the labour force and provides raw material for several value-added industrial goods.

Light at the End of the Tunnel (2018)

03/05/2021by PRIME Institute PRIME Institute No Comments

PML-N Economic Performance: Light at the End of the Tunnel is the 10th and final federal tracking report under the Government Policy Scorecard project which reviews Pakistan’s economic performance by tracking the progress made on the implementation of the economic manifesto announced by the party in power in Islamabad, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). The purpose is to initiate and inform policy dialogue and public debate on the progress made on the economic agenda of PML-N. This tracking directly serves the basic principle of a functioning democracy: accountability. Current report covers progress made during July-December 2017

The report picks two distinct sections of the PML-N manifesto: Economic Revival and Energy Security, which it terms as ȃEconomic AgendaȄ. These two ȃAreasȄ are then divided into ȃComponentsȄ and ȃSub-componentsȄ. In most cases, these are based on a simple reproduction of text of the manifesto, and in some cases, some editing has been carried out for clarification and structure, but without altering the meaning of the authors of the manifesto. Under the area of Economic Revival, 10 components and 57 sub-components (or targets) have been identified. Energy Security includes 15 components (out of which 10 are targets) and 22 sub-components, making a total of 32 targets. In sum, the report tracks 89 targets. In its 10th and final instalment, the report assigns scores on 84 targets, subject to information availability, based on the progress recorded. On 5 targets, no score is awarded.

To read more, download the file:

Light at the End of the Tunnel (2018)

January-2018-Ali-Salman-_-Shehryar-Aziz-PML-N-Economic-Performance-Light-at-the-End-of-the-Tunnel-10th-Tracking-Report

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Country Update Note 2: “Challenges Faced by S&SEA e-Commerce Providers”

01/05/2021by PRIME Institute PRIME Institute No Comments

The term “E-commerce” refers to the production, distribution, marketing, sale or delivery of goods and services through electronic means. E-commerce is vital in the economic development of a country as it increases accessibility of products to customers from a wide array of sellers all of whom are spread across a wide geography.