Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, delivered a keynote address at the Pakistan-Bahrain Investment Opportunities Summit & Expo 2025 held in Islamabad. The high-profile event brought together senior dignitaries from the Kingdom of Bahrain, Pakistani and international investors, diplomats, business leaders, and representatives from chambers of commerce. In his remarks, the Minister extended a warm welcome to the Bahraini delegation and appreciated their efforts to strengthen economic cooperation between the two countries. He emphasized that the summit was not just a platform for dialogue but a defining moment for opening new avenues of trade, investment, and strategic partnership between Pakistan and Bahrain. The Minister recalled that Pakistan and Bahrain enjoy longstanding historical, cultural, and strategic ties. He noted that both nations now stand as partners in building a shared economic future, with a renewed focus on institutional business cooperation and private sector engagement. He stressed that Pakistan’s economic future will be shaped not by waiting for change, but by proactively building it, and today’s summit reflects that resolve. He stated that Pakistan is moving ahead with a clear economic vision that involves developing world-class infrastructure, expanding regional connectivity, digitalizing government services, and promoting entrepreneurship among youth, who constitute more than 60% of the population. Introducing the government’s flagship initiative “URAAN Pakistan,” Ahsan Iqbal said that this comprehensive development roadmap is aimed at achieving sustainable economic growth by 2030. Under the URAAN framework, the government has set an ambitious target of increasing exports to $100 billion by the end of the decade. He explained that to achieve this goal, the government is promoting value-added industrial production, building special export zones, developing industrial corridors, and investing in advanced logistics systems. Ahsan Iqbal underlined that the five pillars of URAAN Pakistan—Exports, E-Pakistan, Equity and Empowerment, Environment, and Energy Efficiency—will serve as the foundation of Pakistan’s economic transformation. The Minister highlighted that more than 100 reforms have been implemented to improve the business environment and facilitate investment. He said that key institutions such as the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) have undergone structural reforms to streamline processes and enhance transparency. These reforms, he said, are aimed at making Pakistan one of the most attractive destinations for investment in the region. He added that the government is committed to providing full protection and a facilitative environment to foreign investors. Referring to the critical role of youth, Ahsan Iqbal stated that Pakistan’s demographic advantage is being harnessed through targeted investments in skills development, innovation, and entrepreneurship programs. The government is also advancing digital governance under the E-Pakistan initiative to simplify bureaucratic procedures and create efficient systems that support business growth. He stressed that Pakistan must adopt an export-led growth model to achieve economic self-reliance and become globally competitive. He pointed out that Pakistan’s current export volume, which stands at around $32 billion, is inadequate for a country of over 240 million people. The country needs to increase exports by at least $5 to $10 billion annually to stay on track with its development goals. He urged all stakeholders to recognize that private investment and industrial expansion are essential for this transformation. He emphasized that the future belongs to countries that build their economies on knowledge, innovation, and exports. Looking back on Pakistan’s development journey, the Minister expressed regret that despite visionary frameworks such as Vision 2010 and Vision 2025, political instability and policy discontinuity prevented their full implementation. He noted that other countries in the region advanced rapidly using similar blueprints, while Pakistan fell behind due to internal political conflict. Citing the 2017 PricewaterhouseCoopers report, Ahsan Iqbal reminded the audience that Pakistan was forecasted to become one of the world’s top 20 economies by 2030. However, the political disruption following the 2018 regime change reversed the momentum, and by 2022, Pakistan was facing the threat of internal default. He credited the present government for taking swift and decisive action that helped prevent economic collapse. He mentioned that, for the first time in Pakistan’s history, the policy rate was brought down from 22% to 12%, which played a key role in stabilizing the macroeconomic environment and restoring investor confidence. He said that these measures had created a foundation on which Pakistan is now ready to soar once again. In closing, Ahsan Iqbal posed a critical question to the nation: can Pakistan preserve its current economic momentum or will it again fall prey to instability? He urged political actors, institutions, and society at large to abandon divisive politics and come together to embrace sustainable development as a shared national goal. He stressed that the time has come to transition from blame and polarization to progress and prosperity. The Minister concluded by expressing strong confidence in the Pakistani private sector, calling on it to stand side by side with the government in shaping a competitive, inclusive, and forward-looking economy that secures Pakistan’s rightful place on the global economic map.
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