FBR Says the Pakistan-China Trade Data Gap Has Narrowed by 98%

[keypoints]

• The Pakistan-China trade data gap has reportedly narrowed by 98%

• The FBR says it fell from 32% to 0.54% after 2023 figures were reconciled

• The authority says different reporting methods can create a discrepancy

• A discrepancy does not, by itself, prove under-invoicing

• New reporting measures from July 2026 are meant to make the data clearer

Pakistan China trade data is closer after a reconciliation of 2023 figures, according to the Federal Board of Revenue. The gap has reportedly narrowed by 98%, from 32% to 0.54%.

In this article we set out what the FBR says the smaller gap means, and what it says the gap does not prove. Here is everything you need to know.

What the FBR says about the Pakistan China trade data

The comparison is between Pakistan's figures and China's for 2023, after reconciliation. The reported result is a gap of 0.54%, down from 32%. The FBR's point is methodological: differences in how the two sides report trade can cause discrepancies, and a discrepancy does not automatically prove under-invoicing.

New reporting measures introduced in July 2026 are described as a way to improve transparency. The account does not list those measures.

Why it matters

A wide gap between two countries' trade books is often read as missing invoices. The FBR is asking for that reading to wait. The 98% narrowing is its evidence that reconciliation, not a new raid, closed most of the gap.

• The source is the FBR
• The year reconciled is 2023
• The gap moved from 32% to 0.54%
• The narrowing is reported as 98%
• Under-invoicing is not treated as automatic
• July 2026 reporting measures are the transparency step named

What this does not prove

1. It does not say under-invoicing never happens.
2. It does not publish the rupee or dollar value of the remaining 0.54%.
3. It does not list the July 2026 reporting rules.
4. It does not cover years after 2023.

What happens next

The next trade release will show whether 0.54% holds. We will update this article if the FBR publishes the July 2026 measures or a later year.

Our verdict

Pakistan China trade data for 2023 shows a gap that the FBR says has narrowed by 98%, from 32% to 0.54%. The authority says a reporting difference is not, by itself, proof of under-invoicing.

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