MINISTER for Planning, Development and Special Initia tives, Ahsan Iqbal, has underscored the criticality of political stability and continuity in economic policies to propel Pakistan towards sustained growth and social prosperity. Speaking at the Pakistan Development Summit, he highlighted the country’s abundant natural resources, envisioning rapid economic growth and social development within a decade. The summit, themed “5Es Framework Roadmap to a Trillion Dollar Economy by 2035,” aimed to convene stakeholders from industry, academia and sectoral professionals to chart Pakistan’s economic future.
There is no denying the fact that Pakistan has the necessary potential to become an economic power as it has fertile land, extensive irrigation network, rich mineral resources, ideal location and, above all, manpower capable of accomplishing any feat in any discipline. The country also has visionary personalities like Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, who have been charting out feasible plans and courses to put the country on the path of accelerated growth but their plans and programmes were undermined by political instability, lack of secure environment and discontinuation of otherwise pragmatic policies at the change of the government. The Minister has rightly underscored that peace and political stability were essential prerequisites for accelerating economic advancement, aiming not just to compete regionally but to align with neighbouring economies. It is satisfying that Prof. Ahsan Iqbal is not only highlighting the need for mobilization of domestic resources to get rid of crippling reliance on foreign debt but is also making plans and striving hard to implement them with the objective of moving towards realization of the noble objective. He remained associated with all stages of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and is once again engaged in hectic efforts to revive its lost momentum as the initiative has the potential to spur both industrial and agricultural growth. Based on the outcome of his recent visit to China, where he had productive meetings with the official quarters and private firms of China, it can be expected that the CPEC would receive a big boost during the forthcoming meeting of the JCC. However, much depends on the internal political situation and the parliament should play its role in promoting the much-needed national reconciliation. The government should take a lead in this regard as its plans and programmes can blossom only in an environment of peace and stability.
