Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal has emphasized that sustainable national development requires strong moral values, integrity, mutual trust and collective responsibility, stressing that progress cannot be measured by economic growth and infrastructure alone.
Addressing a roundtable meeting on building a value-based society, character development and the promotion of shared responsibility, the minister said that integrity, ethics and equality must serve as fundamental pillars of Pakistan’s development agenda under URAAN Pakistan.
“Infrastructure is the hardware of development, while ethical values are its software. Without a strong moral foundation, sustainable and meaningful progress is not possible,” he said, highlighting the importance of honesty, professional ethics and a sense of responsibility in strengthening public institutions and improving service delivery.
Ahsan Iqbal observed that Pakistan’s challenge was not merely a lack of education but a weakening of character-building and moral upbringing. He noted that the quality of healthcare depended not only on hospital buildings and modern equipment but also on the conduct of doctors and nurses, while responsible teachers remained essential to the success of educational institutions. He also called for promoting unity, character-building and practical moral guidance through religious and educational institutions.
The minister stressed that the honest and efficient use of national resources could significantly improve development outcomes. “If every individual protects public resources as carefully as their own money, Pakistan can achieve far better results from its development expenditure,” he said, calling for renewed efforts to promote integrity, discourage corruption and eliminate practices such as bribery and adulteration.
During the meeting, participants were briefed on a proposed framework for building a value-based society, titled “Prosperous Pakistan ,” with civic responsibility and professional ethics as its two central pillars. The presentation highlighted the need to translate values into everyday conduct through families, educational institutions, workplaces and media, rather than limiting efforts to awareness campaigns.
The proposed initiative draws on the principles of the Constitution of Pakistan and existing national frameworks, including the National Curriculum of Pakistan and Paigham-e-Pakistan. It envisages a phased implementation approach, beginning with pilot initiatives in Islamabad Capital Territory or selected districts across the provinces, followed by broader integration into educational institutions and professional settings.
Ahsan Iqbal called for sustained collaboration among federal and provincial governments, educational institutions, families and religious centres to restore ethical values and strengthen social cohesion. He directed that a permanent working group be established to develop and advance initiatives for promoting ethics, character-building and civic responsibility across society.
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