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LAHORE, Aug 27 (APP):The three-day workshop on “Data Interpretation and Use” organized by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) concluded here on Wednesday.
On the concluding day, participants were given detailed briefings on the importance of prices, industrial statistics, and foreign trade data in evidence-based policymaking, with live demonstrations of interactive dashboards. The training aimed to build the capacity of provincial government officers to effectively utilize data for improved planning, efficient resource allocation, and sustainable development.
The initiative reaffirmed PBS and UNFPA’s joint commitment to strengthening institutional capacities for data-driven planning in Pakistan.
PBS Member Support Services/Resource Management (Sitara-i-Imtiaz) Muhammad Sarwar Gondal presented a live demonstration of the Decision Support System for Inflation (DSSI), highlighting its role in monitoring inflationary trends, supporting timely policy interventions, and ensuring financial stability.
He also showcased dashboards of Trade Statistics and other key economic indicators, underscoring PBS’s commitment to transparency, accessibility, and the effective use of modern statistical tools in governance.
PBS Deputy Director General (Price/Industry/Trade) Dr Bahrawar Jan delivered a comprehensive session on the significance of Price and Foreign Trade Statistics in shaping sound fiscal and trade policies. He stressed their role in guiding economic performance monitoring and supporting sustainable national growth. Both speakers acknowledged the contributions of PBS experts, including Muhammad Sarwar Gondal (S.I) and Chief Statistician (S.I) Dr. Naeem-uz-Zafar, for their leadership in organizing the workshop.
The workshop featured interactive question-and-answer sessions, allowing officers to engage in meaningful discussions on national and provincial development planning, exchange insights, and explore strategies to strengthen data utilization in policymaking.
The closing ceremony was attended by Dr Muhammad Afzal Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences at LCWU, Dr. Muhammad Sufyan Chairman of the Computer Science Department at GC University, and Dr. Amjad Javed Sandhu former DG PBS Lahore.
Earlier, Muhammad Sarwar Gondal briefed the guests on the workshop’s objectives and reiterated the PBS’s commitment to supporting provincial governments with technical expertise in data collection, analysis, and solution design. He also shared PBS’s ongoing efforts to promote data literacy, including the success of Data Fest 2024, and invited stakeholders to participate in Data Fest 2025, scheduled for November 11–12 at the Pak-China Friendship Centre, Islamabad.