Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has outlined a 10-year plan to improve Pakistan’s education, health, nutrition, clean drinking water and population indicators, describing these areas as a “national emergency.”
Speaking at the first meeting of the Human Capital and Skills Mission under the Uraan Pakistan framework on October 7, Iqbal said sustained and coordinated action would be required to deliver lasting improvements in social development.
The Human Capital and Skills Mission is one of 11 national economic missions approved under Uraan Pakistan.
Iqbal also called for greater authority to be transferred to district governments so basic services can be delivered closer to communities. He said Pakistan needs policy continuity and political stability to achieve its long-term development objectives.
Looking toward 2047, when Pakistan will complete 100 years of independence, the minister said the country must focus on winning the “battle for development.” He said investment in human capital and skills would provide the foundation for future economic growth.
A briefing presented at the meeting outlined the scale of Pakistan’s human development challenges. The country ranks 168th out of 193 countries on the Human Development Index, while its Human Capital Index score is 0.41, meaning a child born in Pakistan is projected to achieve only 41 percent of their potential productivity.
Child stunting affects 40.2 percent of children, the highest rate in the region, while maternal mortality stands at 186 deaths per 100,000 live births against the Sustainable Development Goal target of 70.
The briefing said around 26 million children are out of school, accounting for 28 percent of the school-age population cited in the presentation. Of every 100 children who enter first grade in public schools, only 46 reach grade 10.
Literacy rates also vary significantly across provinces, ranging from 68 percent in Punjab to 49 percent in Balochistan.
The country also faces major gaps in workforce participation and skills development. Women’s labor force participation stands at 22.7 percent compared with 68.7 percent for men. Around 45.4 percent of young women are not in education, employment or training, while only about 11 percent of the population receives technical and vocational training.
Around 2 million young people enter Pakistan’s labor market every year, increasing the need for better education, skills and employment opportunities. The briefing also noted that national immunization coverage had improved to 81.3 percent.
Iqbal said the 18th Amendment was intended to improve social service delivery, but the lack of meaningful devolution to the local level had constrained progress.
He argued that provincial secretariats alone could not effectively respond to the needs of entire provinces and called for empowered district institutions, administrative reforms and stronger governance in education, health and other social sectors.
The minister said the government must shift its focus from preparing plans to delivering measurable results, with federal ministries and provincial governments held responsible for implementation.
Under the proposed division of responsibilities, the federal government would focus on setting standards, coordinating policies, meeting international commitments, handling fiscal discussions and consolidating data. Provinces would take the lead in implementing programs in sectors largely under their jurisdiction.
The Uraan Pakistan mission has set several targets for the next 10 years. These include reducing maternal mortality by 35 percent, cutting child stunting and under-five mortality by 18 percent each, increasing births attended by skilled personnel to 85 percent and raising education spending to 4 percent of GDP.
The plan also targets a 10 percent improvement in literacy, the creation of 1.5 million jobs annually and a 17 percent increase in women’s labor force participation.
Population-related indicators, including the total fertility rate and contraceptive prevalence rate, would also be incorporated into the monitoring framework. Health spending is targeted at 2 percent of GDP.
The national targets would be translated into annual, provincial and regional milestones to track implementation and measure progress.
The meeting also reviewed a federal and provincial coordination mechanism linked to the National Population Council, which is chaired by the prime minister.
Working groups covering education, health and population, and skills would include relevant government departments, planning and development bodies, finance departments and development partners.
A separate thematic group would focus on nutrition. These groups would meet every two weeks to review progress, identify implementation barriers and coordinate federal and provincial development spending with the mission’s priorities.
Iqbal said implementation of the 11 national economic missions would require sustained commitment and effort, comparing the required national focus with the determination shown in completing Pakistan’s nuclear program.
