General Data Dissemination System
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| 0. Prerequisites | |
0.1.1 Responsibility for collecting, processing, and disseminating statistics Federal Bureau of Statistics The General Statistics Act of 1975 governs thecollection, compilation, and dissemination of statistics. The Act authorizes the Statistical Authorities and the National Statistical Council to ensure smooth statistical operations in the country. The Statistical Authority’s functions include: implementation of the Statistics Act; drawing-up specific statistical programs; ensuring quality and timeliness of data; standardization of concepts and definitions; and, removal of hurdles, if any, in the way of efficient statistical operations in the country. The Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) is one of three departments of the Statistics Division. The Head of the Statistics Division is the Secretary who is also Federal Statistics Authority under the Statistics Act. As such, operations of FBS are governed under 5the Act and under the guidance/supervision of Federal Statistics Authority, i.e., Secretary, Statistics Division. 0.1.3 Confidentiality of individual reporters' data Federal Bureau of Statistics Confidentiality of individual data is strictly maintained as provided under General Statistics Act of 1975. The Act ensures confidentiality of information on individual, firm or institution and provides legal coverage to statistical activities in the country and also ensures that the collected information is used only for statistical purposes. 0.1.4 Ensuring statistical reporting Federal Bureau of Statistics Individuals or establishments that fail to supply data or supply false data can be fined/imprisoned under the Act. |
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| 1. Integrity | |
1.2.1 Disclosure of terms and conditions for statistical collection, processing, and dissemination Federal Bureau of Statistics The Government of Pakistan Statistics Division website includes the General Statistics Act 1975 (http://www.statpak.gov.pk/statistics_act.htm) 1.2.2 Internal governmental access to statistics prior to release Federal Bureau of Statistics Manufacturing Index: The data are released for information only to the Economist Advisor to the Ministry of Finance, Chief Statistical Officer of the Ministry of Industries and Production, and to the Research Department of the State Bank of Trade: The Ministry of Commerce, some other ministries and select organizations receive aggregate data on the fifth day and selective commodity-wise data on the eighth day after the end of the reference month. 1.2.3 Attribution of statistical products Federal Bureau of Statistics No ministerial commentary is attached to the release of the data. For trade date, no ministerial commentaries are included before the release of the data; however, the Ministry of Commerce may hold a press conference or issue press release on the performance of trade. 1.2.4 Advance notice of major changes in methodology, source data, and statistical techniques. Federal Bureau of Statistics Major changes in methodology are explained at the time the change is introduced in the relevant issue of the National Accounts Brochure published by FBS annually. There has been no major change in methodology in recent years. In the event of any such changes in the future, the public will be informed at the time the changes are introduced by publishing notes in “Monthly Statistical Bulletin.” (Trade) Any changes in the methodology are noted in the annual publication. |
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| 2. Methodology | |
2.1.1 Concepts and definitions The consumer price index (CPI) measures changes in the cost for households of buying a representative fixed basket of goods and services. |
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Scope of the data The consumer price index series are Laspeyres indices (2000-01=100).The series cover 35 urban centers (large, medium, and small) that represent about 68% of the total population. Indices are published cross classified by four income groups and four occupational categories combined (industrial workers, commercial employees, government employees, self-employed and employers).In addition, data by geographic areas are given. The FBS also compiles and publishes a Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) to assess on a weekly basis the short term price movements of53 essential commodities in 17 major cities. The SPI is computed for industrial workers, commercial employees and government employees belonging to the lowest income groups. Exceptions to coverage Excluded are defense personnel and households whose main income consists of transfers. Seasonally adjusted data are not published but may be compiled. |
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2.3.1 Classification/sectorization Indices are published for the following functional categories:
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| 3. Accuracy and reliability | |
3.1.1 Source data collection programs Prices for374 representative items are collected of which the manufacture items are classified according to the Pakistan Standard Industrial Classification. Depending upon the size of the urban centre, 1 to 13 markets have been selected in which prices are collected; the total number of markets covered is 71. For53 essential items, weekly prices are collected. The prices of other items are collected once a month, but more frequently if large price swings are noted. Four price quotes for each item are recorded through personal visits to the selected outlets. Approximately 106210 price quotes are collected from 35 urban centers covering 71 markets. The collected prices reflect actual transactions and are valued inclusive of taxes. |
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3.3.2 Other statistical procedures Weights for the indices were derived from the 2000-01 Family Budget Survey, which had a sample size of 42000 households and recorded expenditures over the period of a year (that is, 10000 households were surveyed in each quarter). The weights of seasonal items that are temporarily not available are deleted from the calculations. Totally new items do not enter the CPI between two base years, except as a replacement for discontinued items. The prices of items missing temporarily are carried forward. If the item is missing for more than two months, a replacement is sought. Possible quality differences between the original item and its replacement are removed by imputing a base year price for the replacement item. If no replacement item can be found, the weight of the original item is distributed over the other items. |
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| 4. Serviceability | |
4.3.1 Revision schedule Federal Bureau of Statistics The national accounts data are “Revised” during next 10-12 months after release, with clear indications on the statistical tables. The data become final approximately one year after first release and are published in FBS publications including a separate brochure “National Accounts of The authorities are considering publishing the revision policy for the Manufacturing Index and accompany a note to the data in the “Monthly Statistical Bulletin”. 4.3.2 Identification of preliminary and/or revised data Federal Bureau of Statistics The national accounts data are “Provisional” when first released before close of financial year, and the statistical tables show the status of the data. Data for the Manufacturing Index are provisional when first released and the status of the data is indicated along with the data (as *). The data are revised in the following January for all monthly data of the previous fiscal year (fiscal year from July 1 to June 30). The status of the data is indicated as ‘R’ at the time that the revised data are first released. The data become final approximately no later than two years (in the second January years after the reference period) after they are first released and are published in FBS’s “Monthly Statistical Bulletin”. At this time when the final data first released, the data are noted with “R”. |
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| 5. Accessibility | |
5.1.1 Statistical presentation “Monthly review of price indices (2000-01=100)” publishes the latest two months’ CPI series, and the corresponding latest month of the previous year.The price indices series are shown with breakdowns by major groups and their group weights. Data also include monthly indices for (1) the latest thirteen months, “Monthly Statistical Bulletin” publishes detailed data for the reference period on CPI showing: (1) combined CPI numbers by commodity group for the latest 13 months and the latest five fiscal years, (2) combined CPI index numbers by income groups and commodity groups for the latest month, (3) CPI by city/income group and combined category of employees, (4) intercity consumer prices of the last month for detailed commodities in the CPI basket, (5) intercity prices of construction input items and labor wages for the latest month, and (6) annual data for support/procurement prices of agricultural commodities for the last 8 years. Hard copy - Other “ 5.1.3 Advance release calendar Federal Bureau of Statistics Advance release calendars have recently been introduced in the website.See Plans for Improvement--Recent Improvements. 5.1.4 Simultaneous release Federal Bureau of Statistics Merchandise trade data are furnished to some ministries in advance of their release to the public. Otherwise, data are released simultaneously to all interested parties in the FBS press releases and publications. |
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5.2.1 Dissemination of documentation on concepts, scope, classifications, basis of recording, data sources, and statistical techniques FBS’s “Brochure of Federal Bureau of Statistics, 2001-2000” publishes methodology statements for various statistics compiled and disseminated by FBS, including methodology for price indices. |
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| 9. Plans | |
Plans for improvement - Recent improvements Federal Bureau of Statistics Established the FBS website: www.statpak.gov.pk Advance Release Calendars were introducedon the website. |
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Plans for improvement - Short-term Federal Bureau of Statistics Continuous plan to extend FBS website. Consumer price index
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