Pakistan improves on World Bank’s logistics index

Country stands at 68th position out of 160 economies.

LAHORE: It seems that global monitoring agencies have started recognising the infrastructure development taking place in Pakistan, especially in the wake of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The World Bank, in its latest report, noted that Pakistan had successfully managed to strengthen its position in the Logistics Performance Index (LPI) for 2016. It put Pakistan at 68th position out of 160 economies. Pakistan managed to advance four places from the 72nd rank in 2014 to 68th place in 2016, by securing a score of 2.92.

Neighbouring India stood at 35th position whereas China was at number 27 in the LPI.

Germany remained the top performer for the second consecutive time. Singapore, which was at the top slot in the 2012 survey, dropped to fifth place in 2016.

While preparing the report, the World Bank analysed key areas like transport infrastructure, logistics quality and competence, basic infrastructure, border management and clearance (customs), tracking and tracing of consignments and international shipments as per schedule.

LPI is an interactive benchmarking tool created to help countries identify the challenges and opportunities they face in their performance in trade logistics and what they can do to make improvements.

LPI 2016 allows for comparisons across 160 countries and is based on a worldwide survey of operators on the ground (global freight forwarders and express carriers), providing feedback on logistics friendliness of the countries in which they operate and those with which they trade.

They combine in-depth knowledge of the countries in which they operate with informed qualitative assessments of other countries where they trade and experience global logistics environment.

LPI consists of both qualitative and quantitative measures and helps build profiles of logistics friendliness for these countries. It measures performance along the logistics supply chain within a country.

The first LPI ranked Pakistan at the same place. The second report launched in 2010 showed a sudden drop to the 110th rank as the country was recovering from the effects of nationwide floods, which ruined the urban infrastructure.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 25^th, 2017.

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