Ahsan Iqbal sets $100bn export target for 2035

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal set a target of $100 billion in exports by 2035 on Friday, saying Pakistan's economic independence was at risk without a large increase in overseas sales.

He was speaking at an event titled "Media Dialogue on Effective Development Communication" held at the Planning Ministry in Islamabad, Business Recorder reported.

The minister compared Pakistan with Vietnam. In 1990, he said, Pakistan's exports were worth $6 billion and Vietnam's $2.5 billion. Vietnam's exports have since risen to $475 billion, while Pakistan's remain around $40 billion. Reaching the 2035 target, he said, would reduce dependence on the International Monetary Fund and on foreign loans and financial assistance.

On education, Ahsan Iqbal said 13 per cent of young people in Pakistan have access to higher education, against 30 per cent in a neighbouring country, 25 per cent in Bangladesh and 60 per cent in China. He said about 90 per cent of a person's mental abilities develop in the first five years of life, and that early childhood education and care were being neglected. "Pakistan 2047 is in its mother's lap today," he said.

He warned of the risk of a population explosion and listed slow progress in literacy, limited access to higher education, weak export performance and misuse of public development funds as subjects that need regular media attention. The country's future, he said, depended on solving problems that political controversy pushes aside.

On governance, the minister said corruption, misuse of funds and commissions in development projects reduce the benefits of public spending, and that every rupee should be used for the purpose it was meant for. The Planning Ministry has put development projects online and set up a public helpline for complaints about misuse of funds, he said, but independent media monitoring remained necessary.

"Every development project has a story, and that story is not just about the inauguration. The story begins with the outcomes of the project," he said. He asked journalists to check whether schools were providing quality education and whether university campuses and laboratories were being used properly.

He also called for more reporting on preventive healthcare, tobacco use, passive smoking and food adulteration. He cited a recent survey in which nearly half of the tested samples of packaged milk and ghee failed to meet required quality standards.

Reporting on development, the minister said, should not stop at official announcements and opening ceremonies; it should examine the actual results of projects and highlight weaknesses. He said bringing development issues into public debate, with active media involvement and public participation, could speed up the country's progress.