ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Monday chaired a meeting to review Pakistan’s export-led growth strategy under the “Uraan Pakistan” programme.
It was the maiden bimonthly meeting of the first “E”—Exports—from the five Es framework that defines the government’s roadmap to transform Pakistan into a $1 trillion economy by 2035, a news release said.
During the meeting, Ahsan Iqbal directed all relevant ministries to form dedicated working groups, develop cluster-wise business plans, define measurable export targets, and submit comprehensive execution frameworks ahead of the next review meeting scheduled in two weeks.
He emphasised a national target of $60 billion in export growth over the next five years, instructing that this must be treated as a mission-critical national priority.
“This is not business as usual. We need to adopt a radically different approach – a breakaway from the past. This is a 100-meter sprint. We must run faster than our competitors to capture global markets,” the minister said.
He stressed the importance of data-driven planning and value chain development, instructing the senior officials of Planning Ministry to immediately undertake a comprehensive data analytics exercise to evaluate domestic strengths and map global market trends.
“Unless we have exact, precise data, our resources will be wasted. We must sit at the drawing board and align our capacities with global demand,” he added.
The minister said export development was not merely about opening LCs and shipping containers – it required building a complete ecosystem including regulatory compliance, certification, branding, and integration with global supply chains.
He stated, “Made in Pakistan” must become synonymous with quality, productivity, and sustainability.
