ISLAMABAD: Pakistan budget numbers face a clarity challenge as official documents and media reports shift between Western and South Asian numbering systems.
The report said citizens often struggle to relate figures such as Rs18.8 trillion to daily household planning because they commonly use lakhs, crores, arabs and kharabs.
It said one trillion equals 1,000 billion or one lakh crore, making Pakistan’s Rs18.8 trillion federal budget outlay equal to about Rs18.8 lakh crore.
The Ministry of Finance, the State Bank of Pakistan, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank commonly use millions, billions and trillions. Provincial governments and domestic audiences often rely on lakhs and crores.
The inconsistency affects public understanding of debt, fiscal deficits, development allocations, subsidies and social protection spending.
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It added that unclear fiscal communication can weaken transparency and accountability because citizens cannot evaluate public policy if they cannot understand the figures used to describe it.
The households also need clearer budget figures to assess possible increases in indirect taxes, utility charges, inflation and duties on everyday goods.
It recommended dual-format reporting in government documents, with major figures shown in both systems and supported by simple conversion notes.
