Pakistan’s Global Trade Potential: A Gravity Model Approach

Abstract

The international trade of Pakistan is highly concentrated on a few goods and markets. This study investigates macroeconomic behaviour of trade flow and explores potential trade markets for Pakistan using an augmented gravity model on a large panel of 47 cross-sections from 1980 to 2013. The result of standard gravity variables shows consistent findings with statistically significant t-statistics, whereas augmented variables reveal that relative price has a positive impact with lower price elasticity. The result of binary variables shows that Pakistan’s trade is more with countries having the same language, whereas lower trade is observed with bordering countries. The result of South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) revealed ineffectiveness of regional integration on the creation of trade for Pakistan, whereas, bilateral free trade agreements (BFTAs) have created considerable trade. The finding of trade potential revealed exhausted potential with major trading partners and there is a need for greater trade diversification from exhausted to potential countries. It has higher untapped potential with Nepal, Iraq, India, Philippines and Jordan, respectively, in Asia, whereas European countries have the highest potential. The results concluded that Pakistan can diversify its trade from exhausted to potential countries through individual BFTAs and multilateral free trade agreements. South Asian countries should address their disputes and revisit SAFTA aiming to improve regional trade and growth.