Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal, chaired a consultative meeting on the Uraan Pakistan Action Plan. The meeting was attended by secretaries of all ministries, chiefs, project directors, and federal and provincial officials. During the meeting, the Minister highlighted Uraan Pakistan’s primary goal of achieving sustainable development and accelerated economic growth. He directed each ministry to prioritize their objectives in line with Uraan Pakistan and designate a senior focal person to maintain consistent coordination and ensure progress. Additionally, ministries were instructed to identify three key factors that could contribute to stabilizing the economy. Ahsan Iqbal emphasized the need to engage stakeholders through comprehensive strategies and proposed workshops to strengthen collaboration with provincial governments. He stressed that the transition to export-led growth is essential for long-term economic sustainability. The Minister pointed out that the current export level of $40 billion is insufficient, and export growth must be increased to $100 billion. He noted that two-thirds of the country’s exports come from low-value-added textile products, necessitating a major overhaul of the export ecosystem. Ahsan Iqbal acknowledged the recent progress in IT exports as a promising development. He shared the government’s vision of increasing IT exports from $3 billion to $10 billion by 2029 and underscored the importance of equipping the youth with training, skills, and opportunities to capitalize on the country’s demographic dividend. He also addressed the pressing issue of out-of-school children, stating that the 2.5 million children currently out of the education system must be brought back to school. This step, he emphasized, is crucial for unlocking the potential of Pakistan’s young population and driving sustainable economic growth. Reflecting on past economic challenges, the Minister noted that poor governance had led to a reduction in the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) from PKR 1,100 billion in 2018 to PKR 400 billion in 2022. However, he affirmed that the government has successfully restored PSDP, bringing the economy back on the path to stability. The Prime Minister’s “5 E’s” agenda—focused on Education, Health, Modern Technology, Green Energy, and Ethics—was reaffirmed as a fundamental framework for achieving development goals. Ahsan Iqbal concluded by reaffirming the government’s unwavering commitment to utilizing all available resources to achieve the objectives of Uraan Pakistan and ensure the continuity of policies at both federal and provincial levels.
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