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ISLAMABAD, Aug 13 (APP):Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Wednesday urged the enrolled members of the ‘Uraan YPDC Skills Fellowship Program 2025’ to consistently pursue excellence in their respective fields, contribute to national development and help transform Pakistan into a $1 trillion economy by 2035 and a $3 trillion economy by 2047.
“Never settle for less or mediocrity, as no country can progress with it. You must strive for excellence in your respective fields, which comes through discipline and hard work,” he said while addressing the launching ceremony of the ‘Uraan YPDC (Young Peace and Development Corps Skills Fellowship Program 2025).’
He said the launch of Uraan YPDC coincided with the nation’s celebration of its 78th Independence Day and the Marka-e-Haq success, making it an appropriate occasion to pledge a renewed commitment to transforming Pakistan into a progressive and developed nation in line with the vision of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Dr. Muhammad Iqbal.
The minister shared the historical struggle of Pakistan’s founders in securing a separate homeland for the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent, and the numerous challenges faced in running the affairs of a newly born state that was even deprived of its due share in the distribution of assets.
He said there was no doubt that Pakistan, despite starting out with minimal resources, without even basic office supplies, had made tremendous progress in various fields since its inception in 1947.
“But if we look at the international level, a number of countries that were once behind Pakistan have made significant progress. This is because they had a conducive ecosystem built on four key principles: peace, political stability for at least 10 years, consistency in policies, and a continuous reform agenda – principles that we have lacked,” he remarked.
Countries that achieved developed-nation status in the past 30–40 years, he added, followed those very principles including peace, political stability, policy consistency and continued reforms.
The minister said in 1999, Pakistan’s economy was considered the strongest in South Asia, with a robust currency. At that time, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had introduced Vision 2010 and Vision 2025, but unfortunately both were derailed by political instability.
He said this instability and wrong policies of past governments undermined national development and damaged Pakistan’s international standing, ultimately bringing the country to the brink of financial collapse.
But now, Ahsan Iqbal said, the PML-N government has once again embarked on the unfinished agenda of national and economic development after returning to power in 2024.
Thanks to prudent policies, he noted, investor confidence has been restored, and key macroeconomic indicators such as exports, inflation, current account balance, remittances, and international credit ratings, have begun to show historic improvement and stability.
“Now the challenge before us is how to sustain this progress and take it forward,” the minister said, urging the youth to always remain positive and to play a constructive role in promoting a culture of patience and tolerance.
He called on them to pair that mindset with professional excellence in order to help achieve the nation’s development and prosperity goals.