Disconnect Between Trade Policies and Academic Research: An Analysis of Pakistan's Trade Policy Evolution

Trade policies have a crucial role in determining a country's economic course by impactingincome distribution, growth, and export performance. Pakistan's trade policy has changed overtime, moving away from protectionist policies and toward more liberalized frameworks that aremeant to boost global competitiveness. The changes in trade policies are generally communicatedthrough Strategic Trade Policy Framework (STPF) and other policy documents such and theNational Tariff Policy (NTP). The policy documents usually highlight challenges and set outobjectives and strategies to address those challenges. At the same time, scholarly research alsodelves deeper into the underlying causes of trade performance and broader implications of tradepolicies. However, the recommendations and insights of academic research are rarely utilized orcited in the policy documents. This divergence between the focus of policy document andscholarly research underscores a persistent gap between policy formulation and academicresearch—suggesting the need for stronger integration of empirical evidence and researchfindings into the trade policymaking process.