Planning minister vows to transform blue economy into key driver of export-led growth

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal has vowed to transform the blue economy from potential to performance, positioning it as a key driver of export-led growth, employment generation, and sustainable development.

Presiding over a forum titled ‘Strengthening Pakistan’s Blue Economy: High-Level Roundtable on Maritime Growth’, the planning minister on Friday said Pakistan faces significant opportunities to enhance foreign exchange earnings and support sustainable economic growth by leveraging its maritime resources.

Representatives from the Gwadar Port Authority, Ministry of Maritime Affairs, and other relevant stakeholders were also present on this occasion.

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The session included a detailed briefing by Member Infrastructure Dr Waqas Anwar on the ministry’s preparatory work and the proposed roadmap for the development of maritime and blue economy sectors.

In his remarks, Prof Iqbal emphasised that Pakistan’s economic future is closely linked to its ability to expand exports and generate foreign exchange. The blue economy represents a strategic opportunity to achieve these objectives while promoting sustainable development, he maintained.

According to the briefing given to the forum, achieving Pakistan’s vision of a $1 trillion economy by 2035 will require accelerated export growth and effective utilisation of untapped sectors.

The blue economy offers substantial potential in fisheries, aquaculture, ports, shipbuilding, and maritime tourism to generate foreign exchange, it said, adding that current gaps in value addition, cold chain infrastructure, processing, branding, and marketing limit sector returns.

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The planning minister highlighted that foundational work has been completed on port development (Karachi, Port Qasim, Gwadar), shipbuilding, and the revitalisation of Gadani Shipyard.

Unlocking the full potential of maritime resources requires a holistic, integrated approach and coordinated action across stakeholders.