Do Remittances, Exports and Financial Development Matter for Economic Growth? A Case Study of Pakistan using Bounds Approach

Abstract

The study explores, using bounds test, the short-run and long-run effects of remittances, exports and financial development on per worker income using the annual data for the period 1980-2009 in Pakistan. The results show exports are significant both in the short-run and long-run while remittances is positively significant only in the long-run but has a lagged negative effect similar to financial development in the short-run. Contrary to some recent findings, the results show financial development does not have any significant long-run effect on per worker income. Therefore, the need to develop exports and remittances markets for long-term sustainability of the economy, and finding innovative ways to make financial sector more integrated to economic activities are suggested for development policy discourse.