As part of a high-stakes appeal for economic renaissance, Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal announced an ambitious plan for turning the country into a $1 trillion economy by 2035. Addressing an event in Dubai, Iqbal proposed a vision for sustainable development, innovation, and international partnerships—urging overseas Pakistanis to join in boosting their country’s advancement.
Iqbal stressed utilizing Pakistan’s strategic geographical position, its youth population, and growing tech and industrial base. “Pakistan can become a trillion-dollar economy in ten years if we coordinate our resources, governance, and diaspora support,” he said, calling on the expats to make investments in pivotal areas such as IT, energy, infrastructure, and human capital.
The minister also emphasized the need for political stability and long-term thinking, maintaining that short-term populism had diverted previous development attempts. He cited projects under the government’s “Vision 2035,” such as digital transformation, industrial modernization, and enhanced cooperation with Gulf states.
Iqbal’s appeal fell on deaf ears among few in the business-laden throng in Dubai, a centre of overseas Pakistanis. He wrapped up by hailing the diaspora “Pakistan’s soft power and economic clout,” exhorting them to believe the reforms taking shape and contribute towards rebuilding the country’s economic destiny.
