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LAHORE, Dec 06 (APP):Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Prof. Ahsan Iqbal said that architecture plays a pivotal role in shaping a nation’s culture and identity, stressing that Pakistan possesses a rich and fertile civilizational heritage that must be preserved, promoted and integrated into modern development trends.
He expressed these views while addressing the closing ceremony of IAPEX 2025 at the Expo Centre on Saturday.
The minister said Pakistan was blessed with a vast and fertile cultural legacy, and its history served as the foundation of its national identity. It was therefore essential, he stressed, to develop and preserve historical assets so that the country’s cultural identity remained clear and intact.
He noted that while many old structures still stood in Karachi, the city’s historic character was rapidly fading, highlighting the need to retain heritage even in modern architectural trends.
Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan had increased imports over the years but failed to raise exports accordingly, creating economic imbalances. After making the country a nuclear power, he said, the national goal now was to build a strong economy.
Climate change, he added, had become one of the biggest global and national challenges, making it crucial to incorporate green design requirements into all future construction.
He said the era when governments alone could run economies had come to an end worldwide, and economic progress now depended on the strength of the private sector.
When the coalition government took over, the economy was on the brink of default, he said, but steady reforms were helping Pakistan move out of that crisis.
He added that no other country had brought inflation under control as quickly as Pakistan, and the stock market’s new record highs reflected growing investor confidence.
The planning minister said a nation could not maintain its defense for long without a resilient economy.
Paying tribute to the families of martyrs, he said Pakistani mothers were sacrificing their sons for the country, and despite past hardships, Pakistan always responded firmly to India when needed. He said that now the national focus must shift towards “winning the battle of development,” adding “When Pakistan celebrates its 100 years, we should be a three-trillion-dollar economy.”
He said economic strength could not be built in an atmosphere of division and instability, and Pakistan needed an “economic long march,” with every citizen contributing in their respective fields and by establishing “Made in Pakistan” as a leading global brand.
Commenting on recent developments, he said the DG ISPR’s press conference had become necessary under the circumstances. He said the armed forces were making immense sacrifices in the fight against terrorism, and any attempt to unfairly criticize or target the institution would be dealt with strictly.
He said extremists, hostile elements in India and certain actors within Pakistan were involved in conspiracies against the state, adding that if he were in such a situation, he would have held an even stronger press briefing.
Ahsan Iqbal said it was important to distinguish between politics and the state.
He recalled that he and many other leaders had been jailed in fabricated cases, but they never protested abroad against Pakistan. Internal issues, he said, should be resolved responsibly. “Pakistan is our collective family,” he remarked, adding that any attempt to malign the state or the armed forces would be handled firmly.
The minister said the armed forces were fighting terrorism with full commitment, and urged the KP government to make restoring peace its top priority.
If the provincial government failed to fulfill its constitutional responsibilities and the situation moved towards internal unrest, he cautioned, extreme steps such as the imposition of governor’s rule could be considered, although no such option was currently under discussion.