Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal addressed the business community at the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), where he officially handed over the co-pilotship of URAAN Pakistan to Karachi’s top industrial and business leaders. The Minister outlined the vision behind URAAN Pakistan — a national strategy aimed at transforming Pakistan into an export-led, trillion-dollar economy by 2035. Highlighting the pivotal role of Karachi, the Minister described the city not only as Pakistan’s financial capital but as a symbol of resilience and enterprise. He emphasized that the private sector must lead the way in implementing this ambitious national plan, with KCCI at the forefront. Ahsan Iqbal described URAAN Pakistan as a transformational roadmap, shifting the country’s economic model from low-value to high-value exports, from fragmented efforts to integrated reforms, and from reactive governance to proactive transformation. He elaborated on the five key pillars underpinning the initiative: Exports, E-Pakistan (Digital Transformation), Equity and Empowerment, Environment (Climate Resilience, Food and Water Security), and Energy and Infrastructure. The Minister acknowledged the underperformance of Pakistan’s exports and called for urgent reforms in productivity, quality, and diversification. He announced the launch of a National Productivity and Quality Initiative (NPQI), focusing on factory-level diagnostics, SME technology upgrades, and national-level certification and metrology systems. He proposed KCCI as a key partner in piloting this initiative in Karachi’s industrial clusters. Recognizing the evolving global trade landscape, Iqbal noted that while tariffs are declining, non-tariff barriers are increasing, such as the EU Green Deal, labor and environmental standards, and digital traceability. To help exporters meet these emerging challenges, the government plans to establish a Karachi Export Compliance and Innovation Center in partnership with KCCI. This center will support exporters in certifications, ESG compliance, and digital trade facilitation. Under the second pillar, E-Pakistan, the Minister outlined steps toward building a digital economy, including rolling out Digital Public Infrastructure, launching the Pakistan Innovation Fund, creating Digital Industrial Corridors, and training one million youth in cutting-edge skills such as AI, cybersecurity, and cloud computing. He invited KCCI to collaborate in designing data-driven solutions for logistics, energy use, port operations, and SME productivity. The Minister stressed the importance of inclusive growth, highlighting initiatives to support youth development, women-led microenterprises, and SME access to finance and digital tools. He proposed a KCCI–Planning Ministry SME Innovation Fellowship to mentor young entrepreneurs and graduates. On environmental resilience, Ahsan Iqbal noted Karachi’s vulnerability to climate change and called for greening industrial growth. He announced plans for a Green Karachi Business Alliance under which businesses would adopt energy efficiency, carbon reduction, and zero-waste practices. Addressing infrastructure and energy, he emphasized the need for affordable and reliable power to support industrial expansion. He reiterated the government’s goal of achieving a 60% renewable energy mix by 2030 and called for collaboration with KCCI to develop a Karachi Industrial Infrastructure Roadmap, focusing on upgrading key industrial zones and logistics corridors. The Minister also highlighted CPEC Phase II — CPEC 2.0 — as a strategic opportunity focused on industrial productivity, digital connectivity, and green growth. He urged Karachi’s business community to seize this opportunity and form joint ventures with Chinese and regional firms, particularly in textiles, electronics, logistics, and agro-processing. In his concluding remarks, Ahsan Iqbal underscored the need for a new public–private compact. He proposed establishing a URAAN Pakistan Business Council with KCCI as a founding member to monitor reform implementation, design investment roadmaps, and engage regional and diaspora networks. The Minister reaffirmed that Karachi is the runway for Pakistan’s national takeoff. By making Karachi more productive and future-ready, he said, Pakistan can change its economic destiny. He called upon the business community to triple exports within seven years, create two million digital jobs, formalize and empower one million SMEs, and help position Pakistan as a serious emerging economy. Referring to his address in Urdu, the Minister reminded the audience of Pakistan’s historic achievements and the potential of its people. He noted that other nations have advanced by sustaining long-term policies and ensuring political stability. Drawing comparisons with countries like South Korea, Thailand, and China, he stressed that Pakistan's growth has been hindered not by lack of resources or talent, but by a failure to maintain consistent direction. He concluded by stating that economic progress is only possible in an environment of peace, harmony, and continuity. Political uncertainty is the enemy of economic success, and history shows that no nation has prospered amid constant conflict. It is only through unity, policy stability, and collective action that Pakistan can rise to its full potential.
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