SECP and PBS have signed an MoU at DataFest 2025 to strengthen data sharing, automation and collaboration for better policy-making and national statistics.
Agreement Signed at Data Fest 2025 in Islamabad
Pakistan Securities and Exchange Commission (SECP) and the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate the sharing of data and cooperation among them. It was signed on 11 November 2025 at DataFest 2025, an event hosted by PBS in the PakChina Center in Islamabad and attended by policymakers, statisticians, regulators and data analysts.
Both organisations officials termed the MoU as a big step towards the establishment of a more integrated and stronger data ecosystem in Pakistan. Through formalisation of cooperation, SECP and PBS will be able to utilise the information that is already available in the government institutions in a better manner as opposed to collecting data in silos or duplicating their efforts.
Focus on Automated Information Exchange and Data Quality
SECP and PBS will collaborate under the MoU to agree on a system through which information will be exchanged automatically. These involve the dissemination of approved, first-hand information that may be employed to a certain analytical, statistical and research aim. The idea is to leave behind manual and ad hoc data requests and have a more organized and technology-based model of cooperation.
The quality and timeliness of information utilized in national economic evaluations should be enhanced by automated sharing of data. Regulators and statisticians can make informed decisions about trends in the economy, as well as evaluate the performance of the sector and identify the rising threats in the economy when they access updated and precise datasets.
Capacity building is also under focus in the MoU and the two institutions intend to exchange knowledge and technical skills. This can involve the training on data standards, current analytical tools and best practices that should be especially adopted to maintain accuracy, confidentialities and secure handling of sensitive information.
Supporting Evidence-Based Policy and Regulation
The partnership between SECP and PBS should be able to facilitate evidence-based policy planning and decision-making in government. It is upon a more complete picture of business activity that have stronger data flows that policymakers will be able to depend on when crafting reforms.
In the case of SECP, regulatory control over the corporate and financial sectors, such as non-banking finance companies, capital markets, and insurance companies, can be improved by having improved access to official statistics. In the case of PBS, the data provided by SECP may help in filling the more precise national accounts, business statistics and sectoral surveys.
Finally, both organisations assume that effectiveness of data integration will result in economic governance as the policies and regulations are going to be tested on the basis of quantifiable results instead of being based on projections or small sample surveys.
Digital Platforms, APIs and Legal Safeguards
As per MoU, SECP and PBS will also consider how they can share mutually agreed upon datasets by combining digital and traditional platforms. This would involve the possible use of application programming interfaces (APIs) which enable systems at both organisations to be able to communicate directly with each other and share information in a safe, structured format.
Simultaneously, the agreement clarifies that all the information sharing will be conducted in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations. Information shared via the MoU will be applied directly towards the implementation of mandate of respective organisations, and it is ensured that it does not get exploited.
According to the officials, the emphasis on lawful compliance and data protection is vital to the preservation of the trust in the government as it is hard to deny the increased use of more sophisticated digital tools and automated systems to manage information by governmental bodies.
Strengthening Economic Intelligence and Transparency
The collaboration is a significant move in the direction of making decisions in the Pakistani economic and regulatory environment more data-driven. In the case of PBS, access to quality data in time will assist in providing more precise national accounts and business statistics to indicate the actual magnitude and composition of the economy.
In the case of SECP, closer cooperation with the national statistical body can also lead to the improved market monitoring, assessment of risks and analysis of the sector, and eventually help to protect investors better and make financial markets more transparent.
The MoU highlights how the two institutions are keen on enhancing collaboration by committing to enhance digital transformation and better governance practices. With more efforts in investing in more solid data systems and collaborative frameworks, SECP, and PBS are optimistic of establishing a basis of more dependable economic intelligence that can be used to guide public policy and enable sustainable growth in the coming years.
