Pakistan in the MENAAP Region: A 30-Year Comparative Economic Analysis (1990-2023)

Abstract

This study examines if the reclassification of Pakistan as part of MENAAP (Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan), rather than being part of South Asia as classified in 2025, is empirically justified through the analysis of important economic variables such as trade openness, remittances, unemployment, and manufacturing. By comparing Pakistan against 24 MENA countries using World Bank data from 1990 to 2023, the study highlights Pakistan's mixed performance, such as lagging in trade but leading in remittances and manufacturing. The methodology uses a range of data visualization techniques, which include scatterplot matrices, correlation heatmaps, time series analysis, and outlier detection to deeply analyze these indicators, highlighting Pakistan's unique position as a statistical outlier with low trade but high remittances. The findings show clear regional disparities, emphasizing the challenges in achieving full economic integration within the MENAAP framework. The paper concludes with the suggestion of certain policy initiatives, benchmarking related to trade and international cooperation in order to overcome Pakistan's trade integration problem by capitalizing on its strong spots in remittances and production. This study highlights the role of data visualization in informing regional classification decisions and improving evidence-based economic policy.