Facts, fiction & poor press engagement

If the purpose of a press conference is to share relevant and material information with the press and answer their questions, then both the press and government do a terribly poor job at the launch of Economic Survey in Pakistan every year.Quite frankly it’s a fish market out there. Instead of sharing the survey with the press at least a few hours before the conference to ensure a meaningful 

Anyhow, one of the many pressing facts that emerge out of the survey is the contraction in crops and large-scale manufacturing GDP. The latter – tracked by the LSM index – as we know has been in what economists technically call a recession; FY19 saw LSM index contract in two consecutive quarters. But while there will be a lot of hue and cry and lobbying henceforth to lift manufacturing sector, the farming sector remains at the risk of being ignored.

engagement, the survey is released mid-way into the conference after which all hell breaks loose. Every time! Journalists rush, leap nay elbow-out their colleagues to get their copies as if it’s the last bottle of water in the Sahara. Take it easy folks!

And the questions? Hardly any on the actual survey or the data that is fed into the production of the survey. Yesterday was no exception. Nearly all of the questions were well left by the minister because they pertained to budget or the IMF or they were policy related. There was only one reporter who had the wisdom to allude to the reliability of statistics, and question the statistics division itself. She was shrugged off by the finance minister