ISLAMABAD, Feb 1: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Wednesday directed the statistics division to ensure production of timely and accurate statistics to facilitate sound decision-making.

Chairing a meeting to review the goals and targets of statistics, he said GDP estimates should be properly oriented to present a true picture of the economy.

The prime minister instructed the division to expedite setting up of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. He said the bureau would be set up on professional lines and it would be run as an autonomous organization. “It will ensure collection and release of independent and accurate statistical data and will ensure transparency,” the prime minister said.

Mr Aziz was informed that the statistics division in its all surveys now got inputs of all stakeholders, including, NGOs, donors and private sector organizations, to get their participation and ownership as well to ensure verification and transparency.

The prime minister was informed that the recently conducted household income and expenditure survey had showed a decline in the poverty level. The prime minister instructed the division to publish the survey in coordination with the planning division.

The premier was further informed that the statistics division was conducting the first ever national education census 2005-06, and the first national report of “Pakistan Social and Living Measurement (PSLM) 2004-05 district-level survey” has been released. A report giving provincial and district-level statistics of HIES containing consumption expenditure has also been finalized and will be released shortly.

The prime minister was informed that the ministry of finance had started a process of ISO certification, which will be completed in January 2007. The first phase will be completed in July 2006. The ministry of finance is the first ministry of Pakistan to have initiated this process.

The prime minister reviewed the report presented by the ministry. He appreciated their performance and gave instructions for future improvement of country’s overall macro-economic environment, with a particular focus on sustainable fiscal and debt policy framework. “The process of reforms should continue to meet the challenges,” he said.

Mr Aziz instructed the ministry of finance to further accelerate and strengthen the second-generation reforms, streamline and expedite the approval processes, ensure financial monitoring of all public sector entities, timely implementation of poverty alleviation and poverty reduction programme. He said the ministry needed to develop strong corporate finance capabilities and induct more professionals in various sectors.

“Government’s paradigm is shifting and there is a need to induct more professionals in the ministry of finance to manage the economy in an efficient and effective manner,” the premier said.

The prime minister also gave instructions for strengthening of debt office, restructuring of the Central Directorate of National Savings, and Monopoly Control Authority, corporatization of the House Building Finance Corporation (HBFC), preparation for a strategic vision plan to put ZTBL on viable basis and formulation of new banking law.

The meeting was attended among others by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Salman Shah, Minister of State for Finance Omar Ayub and senior officials.