KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Federal Planning & Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Monday attended an Uraan Pakistan workshop where they emphasised the need for unity, strategic economic planning and infrastructural development to achieve Pakistan’s vision of a trillion-dollar economy.
In a joint media briefing after the workshop, the federal minister criticised former president Arif Alvi and his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The Uraan Pakistan workshop was hosted by the Sindh government at the CM House. The CM outlined the challenges and opportunities for sustainable growth. The programme was also attended by Sindh Transport and Information Minister Sharjeel Memon, Sindh Planning & Development Minister Nasir Shah, Special Assistant to CM Syed Qasim Naveed, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Planning & Development Board Chairman Najam Shah, and provincial and federal secretaries.
The CM spoke on the decline in exports, stating that energy and infrastructure development was crucial for economic progress. “We cannot increase exports without reliable energy and modern infrastructure,” he remarked.
He pointed out that ports were underutilised due to logistics constraints and suggested that heavy traffic should be redirected to the Lyari Expressway to facilitate smoother goods transportation.
Murad announced that Shahrah-e-Bhutto would be completed by the end of this year, providing an alternative route for heavy traffic. He also stressed the need for a ring road to enhance transport and stimulate economic activity and highlighted the potential of the Dhabeji and Khairpur economic zones, urging stakeholders to support export-oriented industries.
He informed the event that the Thar coal remained underutilised, and despite the Jhimpir Corridor’s capacity of 50,000 megawatts (MW), Pakistan was only producing 2,000MW. He called for more investment in renewable energy to reduce reliance on imported fuels.
Talking about digital and technology growth, the CM asserted that Pakistan’s youth possessed immense talent, but the lack of high-speed internet and digital infrastructure was hindering their ability to compete globally.
He acknowledged Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s concerns regarding digital connectivity and called for greater investment in the IT sector.
Murad identified population growth as Pakistan’s biggest challenge, stating that if the country had followed regional trends, its population would be around 130 million rather than its current levels.
Discussing climate change, he reminded that Benazir’s 2008 manifesto included climate action, which had gained significant importance following recentfloods. He announced that the Sindh government was heavily investing in water conservation projects but called for federal support in large-scale water infrastructure initiatives.
Press conference
The CM and federal planning minister in the joint press conference highlighted Sindh’s vulnerability to climate disasters, stating that the province had suffered the worst impact of the 2022 floods. They stressed the urgent need for climate resilience, noting that coastal areas of Sindh were being eroded by rising sea levels.
Referring to Pakistan’s energy future, Iqbal pointed out that Sindh had immense coal reserves, which were being utilised to make the province an energy hub. He also announced that work on the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway project would begin this year, along with the reconstruction of the Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway, making it more efficient for port connectivity.
The federal minister expressed concern over Pakistan’s rising population growth rate of 2.55 per cent, warning that if left unchecked, it could collapse the economy. He emphasised that developed nations, both Muslim and non-Muslim, had controlled their populations to achieve economic progress.
Referring to Pakistan’s economic history, Iqbal said, “In 77 years, we have crashed three economic take-offs. Now, we are in our fourth attempt, and we are seeing progress.”
He highlighted improvements in exports, energy, inflation control and stock market indicators but stressed that Pakistan’s key to success lies in political stability. “Right now, we don’t need a political long march—we need an economic long march,” he stated.
He praised the Sindh government for its cooperation in national development projects and invited the private sector and civil society to join efforts for economic growth.
The CM addressed concerns about water shortage in Sindh, clarifying that despite reports of the Cholistan canals’ approval, there was no water available in the system to support new canals. He said the Sindh government would fight for its water rights through legal and constitutional means rather than protests.
“We do not need to take to the streets; we can prove our case with facts and figures,” the CM said, adding that the telemetry system will ultimately reveal the true water distribution data.
To a question, Iqbal reaffirmed the government’s commitment to media freedom but warned against misusing social media for harassment and hate speech. “Freedom of expression does not mean harassing mothers and sisters online. Even in the UK, defamation can lead to a £50,000 fine within a month,” he said, recalling his own experience as a victim of violence with a bullet still lodged in his body.
He also acknowledged past injustices to Sindh during the PTI government and appreciated Murad’s data-driven approach in advocating for Sindh’s rights. “On Sindh CMs request, we have included several Sindh projects in the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP),” he said.
The federal minister stated that differences arose in every coalition government, but they were also resolved. He said the alliance between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was stable, as both the parties had a mechanism to address concerns.
“There is no threat to the government’s coalition,” he emphasised, adding that a committee led by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar was actively maintaining communication between both parties. He also confirmed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will soon convene the Council of Common Interests (CCI) meeting.
Iqbal maintained that all the provinces would receive their fair share of resources and no province would be deprived of its rights by another.
He accused former president Arif Alvi of harming Pakistan’s global image, saying: “Arif Alvi is spreading propaganda, claiming that the situation in Pakistan is worse than in Kashmir.”
He alleged that writing letters to the International Monetary Fund against Pakistan was a form of economic terrorism. “The PTI is running an anti-Pakistan campaign bigger than RAW’s.”
Referring to financial corruption, Iqbal alleged that the money recovered in London was meant to be returned to the people of Pakistan, but instead, the PTI returned it to the original thief. “Today, the entire PTI is defending that criminal,” he remarked.He concluded by accusing the PTI of stealing £190 million from the public and then playing the victim.