- Advertisement -
ISLAMABAD, May 28 (APP):Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Wednesday reiterated the firm resolve to make Pakistan economically invincible just as the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had made the country’s defense impregnable by demonstrating its nuclear capability on May 28, 1998.
“Now is the time for us to unite as a nation to make Pakistan not only strong in defense, but also economically invincible,” he said in a Youm-e-Takbeer message, underscoring the country’s enduring commitment to national defense, unity and now economic transformation.
Youm-e-Takbeer, he said, was not just a historical milestone, but a testament to the collective resolve that make Pakistan, under Quaid Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and the PML-N leadership, the first Islamic the world’s seventh nuclear power, sending an unequivocal message to the world that “we are a sovereign nation that will never compromise on its security or integrity.”
He emphasized that Pakistan’s nuclear achievement was not the accomplishment of one government alone, but rather the unified spirit of a determined nation, “standing like a wall of steel against any aggression.”
Fast forward to 2025, the minister drew a parallel between that defining moment of military strength and today’s aspiration for economic resilience under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. “Just as we stood united to achieve nuclear sovereignty, today we must unite once again, this time for economic sovereignty,” he urged.
The minister recalled PML-N’s earlier milestone, the initiation of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in 2015, a multibillion-dollar infrastructure and connectivity project he credited with laying the foundation for economic revitalization amid intense political tensions.
“Despite the challenges, the leadership of Nawaz Sharif forged consensus across the political spectrum to launch CPEC – today, a symbol of progress for all four provinces.”
Ahsan Iqbal also referenced India’s recent aggression during the month of May – the same month Pakistan demonstrated its nuclear capability some 26 years back – when Pakistan delivered a befitting response to the adversary.
He framed it as further proof of Pakistan’s resolve to defend its sovereignty, both militarily and politically.
“We defeated their air aggression, showing the world that while we seek peace, we remain ever-vigilant in our defense,” he said, adding, “Today, Pakistan’s armed forces are equipped with modern technologies, and our defense industry ranks among the world’s most advanced.”
Looking ahead, Ahsan Iqbal called for transforming Pakistan into a “developed, self-reliant and modern economy” under the national vision titled “Uraan Pakistan.”
He emphasized the urgent need for political stability, policy continuity, institutional reform and a culture of accountability as prerequisites for economic takeoff.
“To make Pakistan economically invincible, we must defeat all conspiracies of political instability. Our success depends on unity, trust in leadership and an unwavering belief in progress,” he remarked.