Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday said the successful establishment of a strong linkage between academia and industry was a hallmark of the PML-N government, stressing the urgent need to keep pace with the 4th Industrial Revolution. Minister Ahsan Iqbal shared these remarks while addressing the concluding session of a seminar on “Implementation of Industry 4.0,” organized by the Engineering Development Board at NUST Islamabad. The seminar emphasized the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies, including IoT, AI, Robotics, Big Data Analytics, and Cyber-Physical Systems, to enhance industrial efficiency and global competitiveness. Pro-Rector (RIC), NUST, highlighted academia’s role in fostering research and innovation. Federal Minister for Industries & Production Rana Tanveer Hussain inaugurated the seminar, stressing the need for automation and smart manufacturing to drive industrial growth. The Chief Executive Officer, EDB, underscored Industry 4.0’s role in enhancing competitiveness and the urgency of adopting digital transformation strategies. During the concluding session, Minister Ahsan Iqbal highlighted that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had established several national centers during its 2013-2018 tenure. "These are not merely research centers; rather, they are an industry-driven program designed to support the launch of startups in collaboration with labs established in various universities,” he explained. Ahsan Iqbal said the PML-N government established the National Center for Excellence in Big Data and Cloud Computing, as well as National Centers for Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, Applied Mathematics, Satellite Technology and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), each of which was linked laboratories from 8-10 universities. He recounted various measures undertaken by the PML-N government under Vision 2010 and Vision 2025, initiatives aimed at making Pakistan prosperous and strong in every way during its past tenures. However, he mentioned that these efforts had been derailed due to political instability. He also referred to the collapse of the national economy when the PML-N returned to power in 2022 after the failed government of PTI. In April of that year, the Ministry of Finance revealed its inability to release funds for the final quarter of the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), he added. However, the minister said that under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the PML-N government had introduced prudent policies that were now yielding positive economic results. “We avoided an external default by sacrificing our political capital; today, Pakistan’s economy is turning around after this sacrifice,” he added. The minister underscored the need for peace, political stability, ten-year continuity in policies and a consistent reform agenda to achieve national development and prosperity, pointing out that no country in the world has reached the status of a developed nation without adhering to these four fundamental elements. Experts from the government, academia, and industry engaged in discussions on policy frameworks and digital adoption strategies. EDB reaffirmed its commitment to advancing Pakistan’s engineering sector by bridging the gap between industry and technology adoption. At the end of the seminar, a vote of thanks was presented by Engr. Khuda Bukhsh (CEO EDB), acknowledging participants' contributions. Attendees also visited the National Science and Technology Park (NSTP) for insights into ongoing research and innovation projects. CEO EDB informed that similar events will also be organized in the mega industrial hubs of the country to bring the industry in close contact with academia. ********
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