Was Pakistan ever an open economy?

Pakistan's National Tariff Policy 2025-30 is now in its second year of implementation. Yet questions persist about whether tariff reforms were necessary, whether the underlying data were reliable, and whether reducing import duties will benefit the economy. These are legitimate questions. But before judging the reforms, we must address a more fundamental issue: was Pakistan genuinely an open economy, or had decades of protectionism weakened its competitiveness and export potential? Much of the confusion appears to stem from a misinterpretation of the tariff indicators published by the World Trade Organisation (WTO). These indicators are useful, but they must be understood in context.