Pak-Saudi Defence Pact An Important Milestone: Ahsan Iqbal

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Sep, 2025) Federal Minister for Planning and Development Prof. Ahsan Iqbal said on Saturday that the defence agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is an important milestone, which has been warmly welcomed by all segments of society and people from all walks of life have expressed great joy and happiness in this regard.

Talking to media after chairing the first meeting of Members of Federation of Engineering Institutions of Pakistan here, he added that after the Marka-e-Haq (battle of truth), Pakistan received more recognition, respect and dignity from around the world, so we have to move forward keeping in mind the future plans and challenges.

Before that, Prof. Ahsan Iqbal said the launch of CPEC Phase-II was formally announced during Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif's visit to China. “Now, the CPEC JCC meeting is being held in Beijing on September 26, and I am going to attend it. Insha Allah, we will make further progress.”

The success of defence for any country cannot be long-lasting unless it stands on a strong economy, he said, asserting, “I believe that success of Udaan Pakistan Project, launched by the government, depends on the cooperation and role of engineers.”

He said Pakistan's export would increase with innovated production and improved industrial capacity through extensive use of modern technology, and all this work has to be done by engineers. Similarly, a strong export economy requires strong infrastructure, which also has to be built by engineers. About e-Pakistan, he said, if Pakistan has to build a technology-based economy, then engineers have a fundamental role in it too. Engineers also have an important role in creating a technology-based economy and they even have a key role in ensuring water and food security. He hoped that Federation of Engineers would also play a vital role in the national plan of action to combat climate change in the country.

“We cannot reverse climate change but to face it, however, we can create resilience in our economy and reconstruct better infrastructure that does not fall victim to climate change again. To do this, we will need the cooperation of engineers. Hydraulic studies should be done to see how Pakistan's water flows work and how we can avoid floods.”

Similarly, the energy cost is also high due to huge circular debt following inefficiencies and leakages in the system and again the engineers can fix these challenges effectively and help close this black hole in which billions of rupees are being pumped. “We can spend this money on education, health and improving the infrastructure and the areas lagging behind and underdeveloped,” he maintained.

The Federal Minister said every sector in the world revolves around technology and engineers are the people who make technology useful for human development. Ministry of Planning and Development would implement their recommendations and will act as a bridge between the government and the engineering profession. “I invite every skilled person, professional and talented person in Pakistan or abroad, to become part of Udaan Pakistan, a programme of the aspirations of 240 million Pakistanis. We have set two goals to become a one trillion Dollar economy by 2035, and a three trillion dollar economy in 2047.”

Pakistan has a 60 percent young population which is the axis of country's economic planning, and for the purpose, a national convention would soon be held in which all the universities of Pakistan are launching the 47 Lab. Where Pakistan will be in 2047 should be identified by the generation of Pakistan in whose hands Pakistan will be running at that time. The Pakistan 2047 Lab, which is mentioned in Udaan Pakistan, will be inaugurated soon. We will give the main responsibility for this to the young professionals of Pakistan.

Recently, during the visit to China, the private sector signed agreements worth USD 8.5 billion Dollars, as one thousand Pakistani and Chinese businesses have jointly chosen ways to invest in Pakistan. “But if we do not provide this country with a favorable environment, it will not produce its products. If we allow chaos and unrest to arise, which investor will come to Pakistan? Therefore, I am happy that at this time there is complete agreement among all the institutions of the state of Pakistan that while our national security requires that we stand behind our armed forces, it is equally important that we do not allow anyone to create chaos and uncertainty within this country so that the seeds of development that are being sown, these seeds have grown, bear fruit and a better future can be built for the people of Pakistan,” he argued.

Prof. Ahsan Iqbal congratulate the engineering community on the establishment of the Federation of Pakistani Engineering Institutions and hoped that it will prove to be the most powerful think-tank of Pakistan, which will guide us in the problems for the development process by utilizing the best engineering manpower and talent.

A large number of engineers from across the country including Engineer Amir Zameer Ahmed Khan, Engineer Muhammad Usman Farooq, Engineer Tahir Basharat Cheema, Engineer Sarosh Hashmat Lodhi and Engineer Qasim Qureshi attended the meeting.