The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has introduced the Performance Evaluation System for Investment Abroad (PESIA), an online reporting framework designed to enhance efficiency and transparency in the monitoring of equity investments abroad (EIA).
According to a circular issued on Friday, PESIA will serve as a centralized mechanism for Authorized Dealers (ADs) to report all EIA-related transactions through SBP’s Data Acquisition Portal (DAP).
The system is built around ten structured data files (DFS), each covering a distinct aspect of EIA transactions, including approvals, remittances, details of investee entities, and performance reporting. The categories span across equity investment approvals (A1, A2, B, C), employee stock options and portfolio investments (D), inward and outward remittances, as well as the financial performance of overseas investee companies.
To guide stakeholders, SBP has also released a comprehensive user manual, detailing navigation, data input procedures, and the process for obtaining mandatory “Investee Company Codes.”
Under the new framework, ADs will be required to report monthly EIA transactions (DFS 1–9) by the 5th working day of each month, while financial performance data (DFS 10) must be submitted annually within three months of the investee’s financial year-end.
SBP has also directed ADs to submit legacy data in two phases:
Phase I: Transactions from February 10, 2021 to July 31, 2025 must be uploaded by November 28, 2025.
Phase II: Transactions prior to February 9, 2021 must be submitted by February 28, 2026.
A compliance report, signed by each AD’s Group Head Compliance, must be submitted by March 5, 2026.
The central bank has made it clear that Heads of EIA Units and Group Heads Compliance will be held accountable for ensuring accuracy and timely submission of data. Non-compliance or submission of erroneous information may result in enforcement action under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947, or other applicable laws.
SBP has directed all Authorized Dealers to inform their clients and ensure strict adherence to the new reporting mechanism.