Islamabad : The government has approved a major revision to Pakistan’s National Accounts, shifting the base year from 2015-16 to 2025-26 after a decade-long gap. The rebasing is intended to provide a more accurate picture of the economy by incorporating new businesses, removing closed ones, and expanding coverage to sectors such as small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

The revised project will now cost Rs 903.4 million, up from the original Rs 608 million, as twelve additional surveys have been added to the scope. In total, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) will conduct 52 surveys and studies nationwide, compared to 46 previously planned.

Officials explained that the rebasing will improve estimates of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF), and expenditure on GDP. It will also update ratios and growth rates used in calculations, enhance implementation of the System of National Accounts 2008, and introduce new statistical tools such as the Producer Price Index (PPI) and Natural Capital Account.

The rebasing process, carried out every ten years, ensures that national accounts reflect current economic realities. The new framework will update deflators and input-output ratios, providing a stronger basis for policy decisions across agriculture, industry, energy, construction, and services.

The inclusion of an SME survey, directed by the Prime Minister, is expected to give a clearer picture of their role in GDP. The project also aims to strengthen PBS capacity and includes a feasibility study for establishing a Statistical Research and Training Institute.

By adopting the 2025-26 base year, Pakistan hopes to generate more reliable economic indicators, better evaluate sectoral investment, and link natural capital with growth, offering policymakers, businesses, and the public a more robust statistical foundation for decision-making.