The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party on Friday rejected the latest economic data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). The party accused the current government of intentionally misleading international financial institutions by presenting what they termed "absurd" economic figures, according to a report by Dawn newspaper, reported the ANI.

In a strong critique, the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan, lambasted the government’s perceived over-reliance on outdated and inherently unreliable data. He issued a stern warning that such practices were severely obstructing evidence-based policymaking, which is crucial for a nation’s economic health. These pointed comments from Ayub emerged during a Ministry of Commerce briefing on critical tariff matters, where opposition members took the opportunity to openly challenge the fundamental credibility of the official statistics being presented.

Highlighting what he unequivocally described as "glaring inconsistencies", Ayub provided a specific example that underscored his point. "When the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics reports an increase in donkey populations but no rise in mules, it exposes the absurdity of the data shaping national economic policies," he stated, illustrating the bizarre nature of the figures. He further elaborated on the composition of agricultural data, noting that a significant 64 per cent of it comprises livestock figures. This, he argued, profoundly distorts sectoral analysis and inevitably leads to misguided policy decisions that fail to address the true economic landscape, reported ANI.