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With external vulnerabilities mounting, talking about #imports as a #productivity enhancing platform for #Pakistan might sound ill-advised. It's not, if reforms are sequenced well. Right now, the priority should be to insulate #exporters. Why & how? 
RT @SDPIPakistan@twitter.com
Exporting is good for productivity in Pakistan, but importing is good too. Accessing technology is important for improving the overall economy.
@gonwei@twitter.com
#SDC2022
: https://twitter.com/SDPIPakistan/status/1603044242162679811
1) #Exporters need access to #intermediates at world prices to be #competitive. That's well established. Granting them that access leads to a net gain of forex (because the value of exports> imports needed to produce them).
2) Thus, countries across the world use duty drawbacks (refunds on import duties) or outright exemptions for exporters. So that you don't "export taxes". In #SriLanka, for example, 50% of #exporters access these drawbacks. In #Pakistan, less than 10%.
3) w/ @SDPIPakistan@twitter.com we conducted a pilot survey among #Pakistan's #exporters that revealed that +60% of them waited more than 60 days to get refunds (sometimes not full refunds) even after applications had been approved. Results here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00220388.2022.2096442
4) But even getting the application approved was complex: at least 20 documents. Complex filing biases the schemes against #exporting #SMEs. Part of the problem is having to justify #input-#output conversion rates to #IOCO.
6) The costs of not doing it: #export stagnation, increased #external vulnerabilities, #productivity slowdown.
5) #Technology makes it possible. Circumstances should be making it inevitable.
Read more about this and other ideas to boost #productivity, #investment and #exports in #Pakistan here: