Islamabad: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Wednesday said policy continuity for at least 10 to 15 years was essential to achieving sustainable national development, saying that frequent policy reversals with every change of government had repeatedly derailed Pakistan’s progress.
Addressing the Strategic Dialogue and launch ceremony of Development Advocate Pakistan, the minister said long-term national plans could only succeed if successive governments ensured consistency in policies instead of replacing the entire policy framework after every political transition.
He said Pakistan’s earlier development roadmaps, including Vision 2020 and Vision 2025, failed to achieve their intended objectives due to discontinuity in policies, adding that even the best-designed development programmes could not deliver results without sustained implementation.
Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan’s biggest challenge was its fragmented socio-economic structure, stressing that economic growth must be complemented by improvements in education, health, population management and social development to ensure lasting prosperity.
He said the government had adopted a comprehensive strategy under the Uraan Pakistan initiative to address the country’s structural challenges, adding that investment in education, healthcare, youth and women remained indispensable for national development.
Highlighting demographic challenges, the minister said Pakistan’s population had reached around 260 million and could rise to between 370 million and 380 million by 2050 if effective population management measures were not taken.
He said climate change had intensified threats to water and food security, calling for close coordination with provincial governments to implement effective population control and social development programmes.
Expressing concern over public health indicators, Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan had the highest number of Hepatitis C patients in the world, with more than 10 million people affected by the disease.
He said the federal government had decided to make Islamabad and adjoining areas a Hepatitis-free region and was extending similar efforts to Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. He urged provincial governments to support the nationwide campaign to eliminate the disease.
The minister also noted the growing burden of diabetes in Pakistan, urging citizens to adopt healthier lifestyles to reduce the prevalence of non-communicable diseases.
Referring to the fight against polio, he said only Pakistan and Afghanistan had yet to eradicate the disease completely, describing attacks on polio workers as against the national interest and a matter of shame.
He stressed that disease prevention required behavioural change and sustained public awareness campaigns alongside government interventions.
Ahsan Iqbal said scientific research showed that nearly 90 per cent of a child’s mental development was completed by the age of five, making early childhood care and development critical for building a productive society.
He added that many social problems, including crime and drug addiction, were often linked to adverse childhood experiences, underscoring the need for greater investment in children’s early years.
The minister urged the media to give greater prominence to national issues such as education, health and population instead of focusing predominantly on political disputes.
He announced that under Uraan Pakistan, one million young people would be trained as ambassadors of social change to promote awareness about education, healthcare and population issues within their communities.
Describing youth as Pakistan’s greatest national asset, he also called upon citizens to play their role in maintaining cleanliness and protecting the environment.
Citing the impact of poor civic behaviour, he said around 4,500 tonnes of plastic waste had been removed from drains in Lahore after recent rains, noting that indiscriminate disposal of plastic and garbage often contributed to urban flooding.
He said infrastructure development alone could not resolve such challenges unless accompanied by positive changes in public attitudes and civic responsibility.
The minister said Pakistan’s literacy rate remained around 60 per cent, while nearly 40 per cent of children suffered from stunting due to malnutrition, highlighting the need to address these fundamental social challenges.
He stressed that investment in artificial intelligence, modern technologies and infrastructure was imperative to improve Pakistan’s competitiveness and accelerate economic transformation.
Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan’s future depended on sustained structural reforms, long-term planning and collective national commitment to overcome deep-rooted socio-economic challenges and achieve sustainable development.