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LAHORE, Aug 23 (APP):Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Prof. Ahsan Iqbal has said that Pakistan’s engineers are the backbone of national progress and must play a decisive role in transforming the country into a modern, export-oriented economy.
He vowed that Pakistan would become a one-trillion-dollar economy by 2035, with youth and engineers serving as the frontline soldiers of development.
He was addressing a reception for gratitude hosted by the Institution of Engineers Pakistan (IEP) here on Saturday in his honour, following the conferment of the prestigious Pakistan Civil Award “Nishan-i-Imtiaz”. The event brought together a large number of engineering professionals, academics, and industry leaders.
Planning Minister Prof. Ahsan Iqbal said he felt humbled by the recognition and thanked Allah Almighty for the honour. “Receiving Nishan-e-Imtiaz as both an engineer and Minister for Planning is a privilege and a responsibility. This award is not for me alone but for every Pakistani engineer and professional who has contributed to nation building,” he said.
The minister said Pakistan had won the “Marka-e-Haq” (Battle for Truth) through the sacrifices and resilience of its armed forces, exposing the false image of India as a regional superpower. “Our armed forces have shown unmatched strength, but true and lasting national power depends on building economic strength, advancing technology, and fostering innovation,” He said.
He underlined that Pakistan had now entered the “Marka-e-Taraqqi” (Battle for Development), and its roadmap lay in the ‘Uraan Pakistan’ initiative, which seeks to transform Pakistan into a one-trillion-dollar economy by 2035. “If we fail to build economic strength, our defence gains cannot be sustained. History shows us the collapse of the Soviet Union, where a mighty military could not survive a weak economy,” he noted.
Declaring engineers as “frontline soldiers of the development battle”, Ahsan Iqbal said they were pivotal in shaping exports, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, cyber security, climate resilience, energy, infrastructure, and water and food security. “Just as our armed forces secured victory in defence, engineers must now ensure victory in socio-economic development,” he emphasized.
He urged the engineering community to form a task force to support the ‘Uraan Pakistan’ roadmap with practical ideas. “Every rupee saved can help build a school, a hospital, a dam, or even launch a new satellite. Waste is not an option if we want to see Pakistan prosper,” he remarked.
Addressing the youth, he called them the country’s most valuable asset and urged young engineers to dedicate the next two decades to serving as ambassadors of Uraan Pakistan. “When Pakistan celebrates its centenary in 2047, side by side with India, we must prove our superiority not only in defence but also in economy and development, realizing the vision of Allama Iqbal and Quaid-e-Azam,” he said.
The planning minister announced plans for a Quantum Valley to drive modern education, research, and technology. “Engineers must lead mega and smart projects, innovation, and knowledge-driven growth to write success stories future generations will take pride in. Without this, joining the ranks of developed nations will remain impossible,” he added.
Ahsan Iqbal called on engineers to channel their brilliance and hard work into nation-building. “We won the battle for truth, now we must win the battle for development. Together, with education, technology, and innovation, we can place Pakistan among the front ranks of the world’s economies,” he said.
During the ceremony, the Federation of Engineers Institutions of Pakistan (FEIP) was formally launched with the coordination of 11 engineering organizations.
Earlier, Prof. Ahsan Iqbal was also presented with a Gold Medal and Lifetime Achievement Award by the Engineering Council of Pakistan and other engineering bodies. Shields were also distributed among distinguished engineers including Engir. Usman Farooq, Engr. Asim Nazeer, Engr. Sohail Basheer, and Engr. Javeed Qureshi, while academics such as Prof. Niaz, Prof. Serosh Lodhi, Naveed Ramzan, Mahmood Saleem, and Abdul Sattar Shakir presented a collective shield to the minister.
IEP Chairman Engr. Mansoor Ali Khan, IEP Secretary General Ameer Zameer, Engr. Muhammad Usman Farooq, Engr. Javed Qureshi, Engr. Khalid Basheer, Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) President Engr. Arif Chaudhry, FEISCA Secretary General Engr. Sultan Mehmood, Federation of Engineers of Islamic Countries representative Engr. Sohail Majeed, and former NED University Vice Chancellor Engr. Serosh Hashmat Lodhi also spoke in the ceremony.
A large number of engineers and professionals also attended, including LESCO CEO Ramzan Butt, Dr. Azhar ul Haq, Afzal Goraya, Sohail Basheer, Farooq Arbi, Sikandar Hayat, Murtaza Khurshid, Khawaja Sohail, and Khalid Rasheed.