KARACHI, Jan 10: The Federal Bureau of Statistics has not released import-export figures for December even after the expiry of the ten days of January.

This delay in release of the official trade figures is causing a lot of anxiety among the business circles and there are many stories moving around suggesting that some window dressing is going on.

After showing a robust growth of more than 20 per cent in first two months--July and August--the exports have dipped down and there has been an unabated decline every month since September to November.

Businessmen are convinced that export performance has not been very impressive in December because seven hot categories of US textile export quota regime came under embargo and other items, like leather, surgical instruments were under stress. There is a lurking fear that some sort of window dressing is going on to show exports in December are more than one billion dollars.

As a matter of practice, the Bureau releases aggregate figures of a month on the sixth of the next month. By eighth day, the Bureau releases broad categories-wise and item-wise trade figures both in rupee terms and in dollar terms.

The Export Promotion Bureau then comes out with some analysis of exports which shows average unit price and a comparison of items export on year on year basis by 10th or at the most 12th of the month. After three or four months, the Export Promotion Bureau issues a relatively more detailed item and market specific report of the first two months.

Enquiries made to find out the causes of the delay revealed that the Federal Statistical Secretary was in the city and he is holding a meeting with FBS officials in the local office. All efforts made to contact him on telephone proved futile as he refused to come on the line.

It was revealed that the Federal Bureau of Statistics compiled the trade figures and has now sent it to the customs. These figures are now being processed or scrutinized by the Customs in co ordination with the Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited (PRAL). Officials in Customs, EPB and FBS blame PRAL for messing up the trade figures.

In two months market specific export data--for July and August-sent to EPB last month, the PRAL showed exports from Pakistan going to Pakistan. There were many other ridiculous mistakes which threw entire market analysis exercise of the EPB into total confusion. The delay in release of December trade figures have further compounded this confusion.