Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal chaired a meeting with the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics in Islamabad to discuss a strategic five-year plan to drive forward the country's data capabilities and fostering a practice of informed decision-making. The Minister directed the establishment of a task force comprising PBS senior officials and private sector experts to draft Terms of Reference based on global best practices. Emphasizing data-driven decisions, the Minister instructed PBS to identify tehsils with high numbers of out-of-school children for targeted education initiatives. The Planning Minister further instructed the facilitation of development data dissemination at the constituency level, enabling political representatives to enhance their districts through data-driven decision-making, promoting a culture of ownership, accountability, and responsive governance. Moreover, the meeting also discussed the need to include reports on the digital economy, noting that Pakistan's substantial freelancing population is currently not accounted for in the national economy. The Minister instructed to convene workshops with industry experts to develop a robust framework for future surveys, incorporating their feedback to create an inclusive structure. Furthermore, the Minister instructed PBS to prioritize the production of high-quality economic reports, ensuring accurate national rankings, identifying and addressing data reporting gaps, and maintaining the highest standards of data authenticity. The Minister also directed PBS to collaborate with international ranking organizations, providing them with accurate and updated data to ensure precise and current national rankings. Source: Radio Pakistan