ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal said that “Uraan Pakistan” plan’s special focus is on export-led growth to make Pakistan a $3 trillion economy by 2047.
“Pakistan’s gross domestic product (GDP) would reach a growth rate of 09 to 10 percent in the next two decades. Pakistan will celebrate its 100th independence day with a $3 trillion economy in 2047. “Uraan Pakistan”– the homegrown National Economic Plan (2024-29), a journey to one trillion-dollar economy by 2035.
The biggest challenge Pakistan faces is directing its focus from domestic business to exports with value addition to products, achieving the target of $60 billion in exports by 2029, and eventually attaining the capability of $100 billion in the next eight years,” the minister expressed these views in a news conference at P-Block of the Ministry of Planning on Friday.
He said that the key target is to achieve $60 billion in yearly exports by prioritising IT, manufacturing, agriculture, industries, minerals, manpower, and the blue economy.
Addressing a news conference, the minister said that it is a national programme, supported by all the federating units, including Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, to ensure an export-led growth.
He said, “It is a revolutionary step that can be successful by forging greater national unity, avoiding political chaos or any political long marches. Instead, what is required is an economic long march, so that we can compete with the world in an effective way.”
The minister said collective efforts are needed from the civil society, academia, civil society, media, scientific community and Pakistan diaspora abroad to revamp the country’s economy with a special focus on export-led growth. He said information technology has a special place in this ambitious plan.
About energy sector, he said that the power sector would be made more efficient through reforms. He said poverty alleviation, ending inequality, creating opportunities for women and youth, ensuring quality education and health facilities to the masses will be the priority areas of the plan.
He said that a comprehensive package to improve the efficiency of the power sector, ensuring the availability of affordable electricity using alternative energy resources such as solar, wind, hydel, and nuclear energy.
Iqbal said the federal government, in collaboration with provinces, have started a hepatitis control programme at a cost of over Rs60 billion. He said that the federal government will bear the 50 percent cost of this programme to make Pakistan hepatitis free in the next four years. Similarly, another initiative is being launched to control diabetes in the country.
He further said a programme, targeting the issue of stunting of children at a cost of over Rs8 billion. He said around 40 percent of children are suffering from stunting.
He said that the second main intervention in the Uraan Pakistan Programme is E-Pakistan, under which capacity building would be carried out in the digital technology sector. “Every year, 200,000 youth will be imparted information technology training,” he said.
“Under the Green Revolution, the modernisation of the agriculture sector will be carried out, for which, this year 1,000 agriculture sector graduates will be sent to China for technical training,” he said.
The minister said that the emerging technologies from the fourth and fifth industrial revolutions, there is a need to cope with the challenges in diverse fields and transform Pakistan’s economy into a “techno-economy”.
Answering a question, the minister said that each and every project would be evaluated in line with the standards and targets, set under the “Uraan Pakistan” programme to achieve sustainable economic growth before it became part of the Annual Development Plan (ADP).
The minister said that the 5Es (Exports, Equity and Empowerment, E-Pakistan, Environment and Climate Change, and Energy and Infrastructure) is a framework and the strategy for its successful implementation.
Under this segment of the 5Es, he said macroeconomic reforms for export-led economic growth would be implemented, alongside efforts to augment productivity, quality, and innovation for global competitiveness. He said that the plan also includes improving the investment climate, diversifying the product mix and market access, promoting SMEs, entrepreneurship, and cluster-based development, and enhancing the national brand – Made in Pakistan.
The minister said that there is a need to achieve a 90 per cent literacy rate, control the growing population, ensure 100 per cent primary school enrollment, and eliminate Hepatitis C and diabetes to achieve the set goals.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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