Dreaming beyond survival

As Pakistan marked another 14 August — the day we claimed our place on the map of nations — we were once again called to define our future. For decades, we have survived storms: the trauma of partition, economic turbulence, global crises, and natural disasters.

But survival is no longer enough. Skeptics often dismiss bold visions as empty rhetoric, pointing to unfulfilled plans like Vision 2010 and Vision 2025. But here lies the critical question: if we failed to fully realize those dreams, should we stop dreaming of a better future altogether?

I vividly remember June 28, 2022, in Islamabad, when the “Turnaround Pakistan Conference” was held. It was not just another policy event — it was a gathering of minds and hearts determined to reimagine the country’s future. Politicians from across the aisle, entrepreneurs, development partners, academics, and students came together under one roof.

There was an unspoken acknowledgment that while our challenges are daunting, they are not insurmountable — provided we choose the right path. That day, through wide-ranging consultations, five priority pillars emerged: Exports, E-Pakistan & Empowerment, Energy, Environment, and Equity.

Exports are the lifeline of any resilient economy. Pakistan’s stagnant export-to-GDP ratio, hovering below 10%, has left us dependent on borrowing and remittances. Compare this with Vietnam, which doubled its export ratio in less than two decades and transformed itself into a manufacturing hub.

Uraan Pakistan places exports at the center of economic revival— not just as a source of foreign exchange but as a foundation for job creation, industrial growth, and global competitiveness. By focusing on IT services, halal food, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, and high-value textiles, we aim to create a diversified export base.

However, in a world defined by digital trade, exports cannot grow without technological empowerment. This is where the second pillar, E-Pakistan and Empowerment, steps in. I recently came across the inspiring story of two young entrepreneurs from Peshawar who turned the humble Peshawari chappal into a global e-commerce brand.

With just a website, a few marketing skills, and determination, they built a thriving business that reached customers as far away as Canada. Imagine what could happen if every young Pakistani had access to high-speed internet, digital skills, and global markets.

This is why Uraan Pakistan envisions digital access as a basic right- much like electricity or clean water. With Pakistan’s e-commerce market already crossing $5 billion, the next wave of growth will come from nurturing tech startups, freelancers, and women entrepreneurs in rural areas. We want a young woman in Sindh or a student in Gilgit to have the same access to opportunity as a professional in Karachi or Lahore.

Yet all this potential is meaningless without reliable and affordable energy. No factory can run or online business thrive in darkness. While Pakistan added more than 12,000 MW of generation capacity between 2013 and 2018, structural inefficiencies and circular debt continue to choke progress. The energy strategy of Uraan Pakistan is both green and affordable, focusing on renewable power, smart grids, and energy-efficient urban planning.

This will reduce costs for businesses, stabilize the power sector, and make the economy less vulnerable to global oil price shocks.

The fourth pillar, Environment, is perhaps the most urgent. The 2022 floods, which submerged entire villages and displaced 33 million people, are still fresh in our collective memory. More recently, the unprecedented 16-hour downpour in Islamabad in July 2025 reminded us that climate change is not a distant threat — it is already here. Uraan Pakistan integrates climate resilience into every development policy, from agriculture to infrastructure, ensuring that we do not build growth on fragile foundations.

But economic growth is not just about GDP; it is about people. Equity, the fifth pillar, focuses on uplifting marginalized regions — the 20 poorest districts that have long been ignored. By offering scholarships to girls, microfinance to budding entrepreneurs, and inclusion programs for differently-abled citizens, we aim to ensure that growth is not concentrated in a few cities but spread across the nation.

Critics argue that Uraan Pakistan might meet the same fate as past initiatives — abandoned midstream due to political instability, weak execution, or lack of ownership. And they are right to be cautious. No single institution or reform unit can deliver this vision alone. While the creation of the National Economic Transformation Unit (NETU) is a crucial step toward coordinated implementation, it must be backed by unwavering political will, cross-party consensus, and a whole-of-government approach.

More importantly, it requires a collective national resolve — from parliament to provinces, from civil service to citizens. Uraan Pakistan is not the plan of a government; it is the call of a generation. And answering it demands discipline, unity, and an unshakeable commitment to Pakistan’s long-term prosperity.

As we celebrate this Independence Day, we must dare to aim higher. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision of turning Pakistan into a trillion-dollar economy by 2035-supported by the Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives under Ahsan Iqbal— is not just a dream but a national challenge. With the transformative power of Uraan Pakistan’s 5Es, we now have both the map and the compass.

The sceptics will ask, “Can we?” I believe the real question is, “Will we dare to?” The time to act is now. With unity of purpose and relentless execution, Pakistan can not only survive the storms of history — but rise above them, toward a future of prosperity, dignity, and pride.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025