Uraan programme can make Pakistan Asia’s leading economy by 2047: Ahsan

QUETTA: Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal Friday said the Uraan Pakistan program, if pursued with unwavering focus on the next 22 years, could make Pakistan one of Asia’s leading economies by 2047.

He expressed these views while addressing an Uraan Pakistan event organized by the Federal Ministry of Development, Planning Commission, and Special Initiatives here.

The event was also attended by provincial ministers, advisers, parliamentary secretaries, members of the assembly and federal and provincial officials.

The minister stressed that collaboration between the federal and provincial governments, particularly in the sectors of water security, livestock, solar energy and IT, was central to the Uraan Pakistan strategy.

He highlighted that the Gwadar-Quetta journey, which once took 36 hours, had been reduced to just eight hours through the construction of a 650-kilometer highway. This infrastructure not only improved connectivity but also spurred employment and economic activities along its route. Major projects such as construction of Gwadar-Khuzdar-Ratodero road, dualization of Quetta-Zhob highway, and upgrades to the N-25 highway were cited as milestones achieved under the PMLN government.

He pointed out that new universities and campuses were established in Balochistan’s remote areas, and institutions like BUITEMS and Sardar Bahadur Khan Women’s University received enhanced funding. “The PMLN government introduced 5,000 scholarships for students from Balochistan and the erstwhile Fata, a program that is now being expanded under a second phase. Scholarships for Balochistan’s lawyers to pursue international education were also initiated,” he added. He asserted that Pakistan was once again on the path to recovery.