Lahore – By Our Correspondent
Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal, has said that Pakistan must now win the “battle of development” after its success in the “battle of truth.” He pledged that the country will be transformed into a $1 trillion economy by 2035, with engineers playing the leading role.
Speaking at a ceremony organized by the Institution of Engineers Pakistan (IEP) in his honor after being conferred the Nishan-e-Imtiaz, Ahsan Iqbal said, “This award is not for me alone but for every engineer and professional of Pakistan. I too am an engineer, and today I represent all of you.”
He stressed that Pakistan’s youth are its most valuable asset and called upon young engineers to dedicate the next two decades to national progress. “If an engineering student from a middle-class background can become Minister of Planning and receive Nishan-e-Imtiaz, then every young engineer here has the potential to achieve the same,” he added.
Highlighting Pakistan’s defense success, he said the armed forces had exposed India’s “false image as a regional superpower,” but warned that military victories cannot be sustained without economic and technological strength. He pointed to the collapse of the Soviet Union as a lesson that defense without economic stability is unsustainable.
Unveiling the government’s development vision “Uraan Pakistan,” Ahsan Iqbal said it rests on five pillars, all of which require engineers’ contributions, from digital excellence and artificial intelligence to biotechnology, climate resilience, water security, and energy. He declared, “Engineers are the frontline soldiers of Pakistan’s development. Just as our armed forces made us proud in the battle of truth, it is now the duty of engineers to make Pakistan proud in the battle of progress.”
The minister urged engineering associations to form a task force and present proposals to accelerate “Uraan Pakistan.” He called for honesty, efficiency, and innovation in resource utilization, stressing that every saving can translate into schools, hospitals, dams, or satellites for the nation.
Looking ahead to 2047, when both Pakistan and India will mark their centenary, Ahsan Iqbal vowed that Pakistan would not only match but surpass India in economic strength. “The dream of Allama Iqbal and Quaid-e-Azam was for Pakistan to be a leading nation. Together, we can make that dream a reality by building a strong, knowledge-based economy,” he said.
