Tue, 21-Oct-2025

Pakistan fails to tap potential of blue economy: Ahsan Iqbal

Ahsan Iqbal

KARACHI: Despite Pakistan having one of the biggest coastal line and continental shelf areas, the country has failed to tap the potential of the blue economy, said Dr Ahsan Iqbal, federal minister for planning, development and special initiatives. Speaking at a session of the International Maritime Conference (IMC) 2023, he said the utilisation of maritime … Read more

Political instability biggest threat to Pakistan’s economy: Ahsan Iqbal

Ahsan Iqbal

Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan must expand its energy capacity The minister said that Pakistan had two choices The ministry has launched a Champions of Reform network ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives Prof. Ahsan Iqbal on Saturday put forward the fact that political instability and adventurism had been the biggest threat to … Read more

Ahsan Iqbal says country faces no threat of default

Ahsan Iqbal

“A specific political party is propagating rumors,” he said. Problems faced by country will be solved, he said. “China offered Pakistan a ‘potential export market’”. ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning Development & Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday dispelled the rumors related to default risks of the country and called for adopting export oriented policies … Read more

Cabinet’s energy conservation to provide relief to common man: PM

Cabinet’s energy
  • He said energy conservation plan will provide relief to the common man.
  • PM in a tweet said the coalition government was diversifying the energy mix.
  • Shehbaz Sharif said energy plan will be approved after taking provinces on board.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the energy conservation plan of the federal cabinet would provide relief to the common man and save precious foreign exchange.

The prime minister in a tweet said the coalition government was diversifying the energy mix by pivoting to renewables, which he termed as key to energy security.

“The idea is to gradually but surely increase our dependence on indigenous resources,” he said.

He mentioned that the federal cabinet had given serious consideration to an energy conservation plan. The plan will be approved after taking provinces on board, he added.

“Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures,” he said. “Its effective implementation will save precious resources and help address energy crisis”.

On other hand, PM Shehbaz Sharif launched a plan of action named ‘Resilient, Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Framework’ (4RF), which will be carried out in the flood-affected areas of the country.

The copy of the 4RF report was presented to the prime minister by Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives (MoPD&SI) here in a meeting.

Ahsan Iqbal apprised the prime minister that the document was based on the loss and damage estimated in the Post Disaster Needs Assessment report, which was launched in late October this year.

The 4RF document contained short- medium- and long-term climate resilient strategy.The prime minister appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Planning Development & Special Initiatives, Development Partners, line ministries, National Disaster Management Authority, and the provincial governments for adopting a whole of Pakistan and inclusive approach in bringing out this important framework.

He congratulated the Minister and his team for their hard work.

 

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PML-N workers conventions in Kasur, Sheikhupura, Swat today: Marriyum

Marriyum Aurangzeb
  • She said Federal Minister Mian Javed Latif would address the workers at Chitti Kothi, Sheikhupura at 4 pm.
  • Marriyum Aurangzeb said PM’s Adviser Amir Muqam will address the workers’ convention in Swat at 320 pm.
  • Malik Ahmad Khan would address at  Children’s Park, Khadian Khas at Kasur at 3 pm.

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Friday that Pakistan Muslim League (N) workers’ conventions will be held today in Kasur, Sheikhupura and Swat.

In a tweet,  she said that Minister for Planning and Development  Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafiq and Malik Ahmad Khan would address at  Children’s Park, Khadian Khas at Kasur at 3 pm.

She said Federal Minister Mian Javed Latif would address the workers at Chitti Kothi, Sheikhupura at 4 pm.

Marriyum Aurangzeb said Prime Minister’s Adviser Amir Muqam will address the workers’ convention in Swat at 320 pm.

 

Earlier, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, said the government has chalked out a national emergency plan for energy conservation aimed at reducing import bill of the country.

The plan was devised at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Thursday.

 

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Not corruption but instability is the basic problem: Ahsan Iqbal

Ahsan Iqbal

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said that the basic problem in Pakistan is instability and not corruption. “If corruption was the basic course then why despite too much corruption India and Bangladesh have progressed,” the minister expressed these views during a one-day conference organized by Pakistan Institute of Conflict and Security … Read more

Court summons witnesses in NSC reference against Ahsan Iqbal

CPEC

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court heard the Narowal Sports Complex reference case against PML-N leader and Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal. Accountability Court judge Syed Asghar Ali heard the case as Ahsan Iqbal’s lawyer and NAB prosecutor appeared in the court. The PML-N leader’s lawyer said the petition for pre-trial acquittal is under hearing … Read more

Pakistan will conduct digital census before 2023 elections

digital census

The government wants to finish the census before the general elections in 2023. Ahsan Iqbal told the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) to speed up the process. The next digital census still doesn’t have a set date, so it’s not clear if it will happen at the end of this year or next year. The … Read more

Pakistan to adopt Chinese model of economic development, says Ahsan Iqbal

Ahsan Iqbal corruption case

ISLAMABAD: Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and special initiatives declared on Thursday that Pakistan will adopt the Chinese model of economic development, which he called a modern-day miracle.

According to the Chinese, modern economic development is only possible if political stability, social solidarity, and economic policies are maintained; Federal Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal stated this while speaking at the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Green Development, High-Level Dialogue hosted by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) here.

According to the Minister, Pakistan has traditionally lacked political stability and continuity in economic policy, making economic progress impossible.
According to Ahsan Iqbal, China’s industrial shift was scheduled for 2020, and “we did not have the facilities to profit from this transition.”

During this time, China’s industrial units were relocated to Vietnam and the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

According to the Minister, the government of Pakistan began construction on nine Special Economic Zones (SEZs) under CPEC in 2013, but “we could not complete even one of them” during the previous administration. He claims that if these SEZs had been built, China’s industrial relocation would have occurred in Pakistan by now.

According to Ahsan Iqbal, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif launched the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in 2013 with a $46 billion investment in infrastructure and energy projects.
He stated on this occasion that China and Pakistan had decided to collaborate on a green economy.

He stated that China’s present leadership believes in environmentally friendly industrial growth and that in the future, they would place a premium on environmentally friendly regulations in new projects.
He stated that Pakistan and China were collaborating on various green energy projects that would benefit the environment.

According to Ahsan, the majority of the solar and wind energy projects would usher in a new age of sustainable economic development in the country.

He stated that anti-environmental industrial development had also contributed to the degradation of the world’s ecology and that Pakistan had suffered as a result.
“Today, Pakistan is one of the five major countries hit by environmental challenges,” he remarked.

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Ahsan Iqbal slams PTI for hiring lobbying firm in US

PTI lobbying

ISLAMABAD: PML-N leader and federal minister Ahsan Iqbal has strongly criticized the PTI for hiring a lobbying firm in the United States to reportedly rebuild ties with the Biden Administration. “Have you no shame. A conspiracy theory has been created in the nation and it has come down to excuses and apologies from the US,” … Read more

Ahsan Iqbal: Pakistan keen on alluring private sector to attain SDGs

Ahsan Iqbal
  • Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal stated on Thursday that the Pakistani government was eager to explore cooperation opportunities and find solutions with the corporate sector to accomplish the Sustainable Development Goals
  • Switzerland, Pakistan, Ghana, and Montenegro were co-sponsors of the event.
    The minister congratulated the forum’s organizers and co-organizers for hosting the discussion on “leaving no one behind” for a resilient economic recovery

 

NEW YORK: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal stated on Thursday that the Pakistani government was eager to explore cooperation opportunities and find solutions with the corporate sector to accomplish the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“The way forward for Pakistan is to develop an economic value proposition that creates incentives for financial markets and private investors to participate in sustainable development through a strategic partnership and innovative financial instruments supported by a conducive policy framework,” the minister said at a conference on the Localization of VNR process at the headquarters of the United Nations.

Switzerland, Pakistan, Ghana, and Montenegro were co-sponsors of the event.
The minister congratulated the forum’s organizers and co-organizers for hosting the discussion on “leaving no one behind” for a resilient economic recovery.

According to him, the increased uncertainty caused by COVID-19 has caused a unique convergence of geopolitical reorientation, supply disruptions, food and energy instability, and increasingly volatile financial markets.

Pakistan’s second VNR Report documents the progress of the national key performance indicators, he said, adding that the report had been painstakingly compiled and produced at a pivotal time when the country had faced an unprecedented human and economic toll and continues to fight an uphill battle to address the inequities in implementing its recovery and rehabilitation efforts across the country.

Consequently, according to Ahsan Iqbal, our second VNR also takes into account the loss of development benefits and the resultant delays in reaching Agenda 2030.
While we struggle to manage our internal and foreign macroeconomic imbalances, the Pakistani government is committed to rectifying the situation.

He stated that Pakistan was a resilient nation that has faced comparable debt levels and deficits in the past and emerged victorious.
“We believe that capitalizing on the youth bulge, providing room for the private sector, and concentrating on governance, regulation, and the social sector will be essential for future sustainability and progress on the SDG 2030 agenda.”

Today, he stated that one of our greatest difficulties is to devise inventive methods for handling several obstacles while simultaneously capitalizing on the numerous possibilities they present.
The purpose of Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) is to assess how far nations have come in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Inclusion, the minister stressed, is the key to achieving sustainable development. When it is accompanied by equity, it accelerates the process. We are advancing toward the year 2030.
He noted that the epidemic widened the chasms of inequality, sending numerous nations down the perilous route of economic rescue by borrowing.

Even rich nations are already struggling from its repercussions, he added, indicating that the global outlook is dismal. There is an urgent need for homegrown solutions based on the principles of sustainability and independence.
Utilizing young potential to its fullest extent, positioning women as drivers of economic progress and prosperity, and channeling excluded parts of society into sustainable and community-driven social safety nets may minimize state costs and provide overall economic advantages.

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AgriTech Report Shows Technology Boosting 25+ Million Pakistani Living

AgriTech Report Shows Technology Boosting 25+ Million Pakistani Living

Authors argue modern farming and AgriTech increase social and economic outcomes. The study explains how agritech occurs at the intersection of the technology. Telenor Pakistan has helped Pakistani farmers digitalize their farms. Telenor Pakistan, Tabadlab, and GSMA released ‘AgriTech: Crafting Pakistan’s Journey to Impact’. The report examines sector difficulties and AgriTech’s growth. Authors claim modern … Read more

Ahsan Iqbal addressed workers about loadshedding at his residence

Ahsan Iqbal
  • Local supporters of the Pakistan Muslim League-N gathered at the residence of Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, where he addressed workers about loadshedding
  • Ahsan Iqbal said, “Electricity demand has increased due to high temperature. We told the nation in November and December that the country will face gas loadshedding. And now we are facing the shortage.”
  • “In the electricity development project, the gas is the vital element. The deal to supply gas is done six to eight months before. Imran Niazi is protesting these days, do ask him why didn’t he make a deal for the gas 6 to 8 months ago?” asked the federal minister

 

NAROWAL: On Sunday, local supporters of the Pakistan Muslim League-N gathered at the residence of Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, where he addressed workers about loadshedding.

Ahsan Iqbal said, “Electricity demand has increased due to high temperature. We told the nation in November and December that the country will face gas loadshedding. And now we are facing the shortage.”
The federal minister claimed that the country is facing a downfall of 3.5 megawatt. “To run the electricity powerhouses, we have not enough gas,” claims the planning and development minister.

“In the electricity development project, the gas is the vital element. The deal to supply gas is done six to eight months before. Imran Niazi is protesting these days, do ask him why didn’t he make a deal for the gas 6 to 8 months ago?” asked the federal minister.

“The second reason is that the treasury of the country is empty. Ten days before we came to the power, the former government emptied the treasure in the country,” claims the minister.

The planning and development minister Ahsan Iqbal remarked that the petrol, gas, and edible oil in the market today has increased five times due to the Ukraine war. “The gas is being sold at the higher rates in the international market, and Imran Niazi has emptied the treasure,” he added.

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Twitter is flooded with hilarious memes after Ahsan Iqbal asked citizens to cut tea consumption

Ahsan Iqbal asked citizens to cut tea consumption

Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal mocked for his statement. He urged citizens to cut their tea consumption. His statement sparked a meme fest on Twitter. Ahsan Iqbal, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Planning and Development, has come under fire for urging individuals to reduce their tea consumption by one or two cups. … Read more

Coalition govt to decide date for elections: Ahsan Iqbal

Govt sets GDP

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal on Monday said the coalition government would decide that when the general elections would be held. Talking to media, Ahsan Iqbal said the government had not yet decided on the elections and he would tell the nation whatever decision was taken regarding the polls. Dressing … Read more

Ahsan Iqbal commits to ensure foolproof security of CPEC

Ahsan Iqbal commits to ensure foolproof security of CPEC

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal has vowed to provide foolproof security to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. He said in an interview with a private news channel that the country’s enemies aimed to destabilise the country by creating obstacles to the effective completion of the game-changing CPEC project. Read more: … Read more

Ahsan reiterates to put country back on track of progress, development

Ahsan Iqbal

Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has reiterated the resolve to put the country back on the track of progress and development. Talking to newsmen in Islamabad on Tuesday, he said the government is working tirelessly to provide relief to the people. The Minister for Planning said Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro bus extension project that remained … Read more

Centre to support Sindh for completion of its development projects: Ahsan Iqbal

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has assured Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah that the federal government would support the provincial government for completion of its development projects. The assurance came during a meeting between Murad Ali Shah and Ahsan Iqbal in Islamabad on Friday. During the meeting, development projects … Read more

Ahsan Iqbal sets new precedent by inviting Asad Umar for farewell meeting

Ahsan Iqbal sets new precedent by inviting Asad Umar for farewell meeting

Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, established a new democratic tradition by inviting his predecessor Asad Umar to a farewell meeting on Friday. The official Twitter account of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) shared a letter in which the incumbent Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal invited his former counterpart Asad Omar for the farewell meeting/dinner. The letter further wrote that during the meeting the minister will brief Umar on various projects of public interest that had been started by … Read more

PTI received funding from sources of anti-Pakistan countries: Ahsan Iqbal

ISLAMABAD: Senior Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) leader Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday said the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) had received illegal and unconstitutional funding from sources of the countries which were enemies of Pakistan. “The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has been provided all the evidence in the foreign funding case against the PTI,” Ahsan … Read more

Miftah, Ahsan Iqbal pick apart govt’s move to cut petrol, electricity prices

In response to the government’s slashing petrol and electricity prices, veteran Pakistan Muslim League-N leader and former finance minister Miftah Ismail lashed out at the government for toying with the nation’s emotions by first sharply raising the prices and then cutting down some of them. In a tweet, Miftah Ismail said the Pakistan Tehreek e … Read more

Effects of increase in petrol price to start appearing soon: Ahsan Iqbal

Currency

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday said the effects of increase in petrol price would start appearing in next two to four months. “The record rise in petroleum product prices will increase the inflation. Until the incompetent government is ruling, the jinn of inflation cannot be controlled,” Ahsan Iqbal said talking … Read more

Pakistan’s space programme destroyed by ‘Imran Niazi’: Ahsan Iqbal

NFRCC

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday said Pakistan’s space programmed was destroyed by Prime Minister Imran Khan through destruction of economy. Sharing an old news about the contract of multi-mission satellite signed by Pakistan and China, the former federal minister for planning, development, and reforms said Pakistan was to send its … Read more

Ahsan Iqbal seeks help from govt’s allies to remove ‘incompetent’ govt

Multiple countries

NAROWAL: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal on Sunday sought help from government’s allies to remove the “incompetent” government through vote of no confidence, Bol news reported. Talking to media in Narowal, Ahsan Iqbal said the incompetent government of Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) had financially and administratively ruined the country. He said the … Read more

Ahsan Iqbal thanks DG ISPR for clarifying rumours about ‘deal’ with PML-N

Ahsan Iqbal's plea for acquittal dismissed

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday thanked the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Babar Iftikhar for clarifying rumours about the military establishment’s alleged deal with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo. Addressing media in Karachi, Iqbal said the PML-N believed in the politics of the constitution and vote. He … Read more

Some advice, a little praise & criticism ; An overview of PTI’s three-and-a-half-year in government

In 2022, a lot hangs in the balance for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Government following the completion of its almost three-and-half- years in power. The recent Khyber Pakhtunkhwa local bodies’ election upset, the rising economic insecurity for the masses, the instability in the region due to the precarious situation in Afghanistan and tensions with neighbouring … Read more

Some advice, a little praise & criticism

praise & criticism

In 2022, a lot hangs in the balance for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Government following the completion of its almost three-and-half- years in power. The recent Khyber Pakhtunkhwa local bodies’ election upset, the rising economic insecurity for the masses, the instability in the region due to the precarious situation in Afghanistan and tensions with neighbouring … Read more