Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal has asked Pakistan’s industries to prepare five-year export roadmaps, saying the country must replace discussions with measurable results if it wants to strengthen its economy.

Speaking at a Planning Commission policy dialogue on unlocking the automotive sector’s export potential, the minister said export growth is central to the government’s URAAN Pakistan strategy and the only sustainable way to improve the country’s economic position.

He urged manufacturers, exporters and trade bodies to jointly define sector-wise export targets for the next five years and identify the government support required to achieve them.

“We have no other choice—we must increase exports,” Ahsan Iqbal said, calling on businesses to move beyond complaints and focus on execution.

The minister said Pakistan’s long-term goal of $100 billion in exports cannot be achieved unless industries become globally competitive through higher productivity, technological upgrades, modern infrastructure and stronger investment.

He stressed that the country must shift from a consumption-driven economy to an export-oriented one, adding that sustainable economic growth cannot be built on borrowing alone.

Referring to the auto sector, Ahsan Iqbal said the upcoming Auto Policy 2.0 is expected to encourage manufacturers to expand beyond the domestic market and integrate into international supply chains.

He also proposed a district-level export development strategy to identify regional industrial strengths and convert them into competitive export hubs across Pakistan.

The policy dialogue brought together senior government officials, industry leaders, academics and development partners to discuss measures for expanding Pakistan’s high-value exports, particularly in the automotive sector, as part of the government’s broader export growth agenda.