Pakistan needs to increase its exports to $100 billion by 2035 for economic survival, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said on Tuesday, calling export expansion a “national emergency.”
Chairing a meeting in Islamabad to review the implementation of the CPEC Action Plan 2025–2029, Iqbal said the private sector must take a leading role in unlocking the economic potential of CPEC Phase-II, while the government would focus on creating an enabling environment for investment and business partnerships.
He said CPEC Phase-I attracted around $25 billion in Chinese investment and added nearly 8,000 megawatts to Pakistan’s power generation capacity, helping address the country’s energy crisis.
Iqbal said CPEC Phase-II would build on these achievements by focusing on business-to-business cooperation, industrial development, agricultural modernization, minerals, human capital and technology.
He said the priorities of CPEC Phase-II are aligned with the five pillars of URAAN Pakistan: Growth, Livelihood, Innovation, Green Economy and Openness.
The minister said the Growth Corridor would strengthen industrial and agricultural capacity and support exports, while the Livelihood Corridor would promote social development and development in less-developed areas. The Innovation Corridor would focus on IT capabilities and technological skills for young people, while the Green Economy Corridor would target climate resilience, water and food security and agricultural modernization.
Iqbal also highlighted the government’s program to send 1,000 agricultural experts to China for training in modern farming technologies. He said the initiative would help develop skilled human resources and support a “Green Revolution 2.0” through better seeds, farm mechanization, efficient water use and climate-resilient crops.
He urged greater cooperation between the government and private sector to improve Pakistan’s competitiveness and establish “Made in Pakistan” as a globally recognized brand. He also directed ministries to ensure timely implementation of the CPEC Phase-II action plan.
The minister warned that Pakistan could not pursue economic transformation without political stability and said recent diplomatic and strategic gains must be converted into economic benefits through reforms, better governance and national unity.
“Pakistan does not need to heat its roads; Pakistan needs to heat its economy,” Iqbal said, urging political forces to focus on economic development and building a self-reliant, export-driven Pakistan.
