After successfully averting the looming threat of default, Pakistan is now in the process of stabilizing its staggering national economy which is showing an appreciable upward trajectory. Official quarters report from time to time that all economic indicators are moving in the right direction, signalling positive improvements. With this ongoing struggle for stabilizing the national economy, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif welcomed New Year 2025 by unveiling five-year transformation plan for the economy “Uraan Pakistan” targeting export growth, digital transformation and sustainable development for national progress. Rather quite ambitious targets, fixing economic targets for the next five years and long-term up to 2035 included six percent Gross Development Product (GDP) growth increasing its size to one trillion dollars in the next ten years, creation of as much as one million employment opportunities and attracting $ 10 billion in investment annually by 2028 objectives of “Uraan Pakistan” also included tackling impacts of the climate change, attaching greater attention to energy and infrastructure sector and endeavouring for creating of an equitable society
Some targets fixed for achieving during next five year under this transformation plan included taking country’s exports to a high level of $ 60 billion annually, adopting measures for moving Information Technology’s free licensing industry to $ 5 billion by preparing two lakhs IT graduates annually, emission of Greenhouse Gases will be reduced up to 50 percent, increasing cultivable land by more than 20 percent and water storage facility up to 10 million acres feet (MAF) , enhancing share of renewable energy share in the energy Sector to 10 percent, reducing the ratio of poverty by 13 per cent and launching of massive development projects under Public Private Partnership by promoting peoples partnership.
The Premier, while launching “Uraan Pakistan” transformation plan, duly emphasized that macroeconomic stability had been achieved highlighting the dire need for “sacrifice, unity and hard work” for achieving the sustained growth, export-led growth was Pakistan’s ultimate saviour, underlined the importance of fostering competition, reducing inefficiencies and encouraging investment, expressed hope for desirable collaborative efforts between the institutions and the government would hopefully sustain the country’s economic recovery and emphatically called for investment in the digital and technology sectors and artificial intelligence (AI) ‘s role in boosting productivity and competitiveness in the country in a positive manner. The plan has been set against the backdrop of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) recent bailout package, with official quarters at the highest level emphatically stating that, if all goes as planned, this will be the last time Pakistan seeks IMF assistance. With ambitious goals and a commitment to sustainable growth, the Uraan Pakistan initiative aims to transform Pakistan’s economy and position it as a regional economic powerhouse over the next five years hoping that all will go well as planned and expected.
As briefly stated above, Uraan Pakistan’s targets are quite ambitious, and the prerequisites for their success and achievement over the next five years include national unity, political stability, the complete maintenance of law and order and a collective commitment to accomplishing these goals, which, under the prevailing circumstances, seem rather challenging. To realize these ambitious targets, everyone—whether in the public or private sector—must work with commitment, determination and sincerity to develop Pakistan into an economically strong country. This scribe cannot help but to state here quite regretfully and shamefully that ours was a nation of work shirkers and making them all to work was quite difficult nay impossible to say the least. However, the federal government should make concerted efforts to secure help and assistance from legislators at both federal and provincial levels to effectively reach out to their voters in particular and the public at large. They should clearly explain the salient features of Uraan Pakistan and inform people about how they can actively contribute to its overall success and sustainability.
The federal government just should not sit idle after the plan launching and get its main highlights in booklets in easily understood manner in all languages written and spoken in all parts of the country telling the people as to what the country, their own motherland, expected from them to do as a national obligation. The federal budget 2024-25 documents contained mention of 13th Five Year Plan and the just launched Uraan Pakistan was also of five years duration mainly. This also needs to be clarified by the official quarters concerned to avoid any confusion in the minds of the people at large.
—The writer is Lahore-based Freelance Journalist, Columnist and retired Deputy Controller (News), Radio Pakistan, Islamabad.
(zahidriffat@gmailcom)
