By Our Correspondent
RABAT, Morocco – Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Professor Ahsan Iqbal, was conferred with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Vice Chancellors Forum of Islamic Countries during its 6th summit held in Rabat, Morocco. The award recognises his outstanding contributions to planning, development, education, science, and innovation in Pakistan.
According to the forum administration, Ahsan Iqbal has emerged as a visionary leader, a disciplined planner, a bold reformist, and an educator who strongly believes in the transformative power of knowledge. He was hailed as a builder of Pakistan’s dignified, self-reliant, and knowledge-based future.
The award was presented in recognition of his exceptional role in integrating education, science, and innovation into the heart of Pakistan’s national development strategy. From Vision 2010 to Vision 2025, and now the Uraan Pakistan initiative, Iqbal has strategically positioned these sectors to modernize Pakistan’s economy and prepare it for global competitiveness.
The forum further noted that Ahsan Iqbal launched an ambitious program to produce 10,000 PhD scholars, significantly strengthened university funding, and promoted access to higher education in underprivileged regions of the country. These efforts have not only enhanced Pakistan’s research capacity but also paved the way for human resource development aligned with the fourth and emerging fifth industrial revolutions.
Describing him as a prominent architect of human capital transformation in Pakistan, the forum stated that the Lifetime Achievement Award is a global acknowledgment of his services to the advancement of knowledge and inclusive development.
The Vice Chancellors Forum brings together leaders from higher education institutions across the Islamic world, aiming to foster academic collaboration and innovation-driven development among member countries.
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