Political Govts May Come and Go But Civil Service Remains the Permanent Pillar of the State: Planning Minister

Federal Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has remarked political governments may change, but the civil service remains a permanent pillar of the state, urging newly trained officers to take responsibility for Pakistan's long-term development and assist transform the country into a $1 trillion economy by 2035.

Key points

• Referring to the country's economic history, Iqbal remarked Pakistan had been making progress under Vision 2025 in 2017, but political developments in 2018 interrupted that momentum.
• He created these remarks while addressing the concluding ceremony of the 40th Senior Management Course at the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA) in Islamabad on Friday.
• He remarked increasing exports beyond $100 billion by 2035 was necessary to strengthen Pakistan's economic sovereignty.
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• He remarked Pakistan was now moving towards economic stability, with the government's URAAN Pakistan framework targeting a $1 trillion economy by 2035.

He created these remarks while addressing the concluding ceremony of the 40th Senior Management Course at the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA) in Islamabad on Friday. A total of 46 officers from different service groups completed the 16-week training program. Ahsan Iqbal Gives Significant Advice to Newly Trained Bureaucrats.

Iqbal remarked the country's future depended heavily on the ability of public institutions to adapt to changing circumstances. He pointed to artificial intelligence and rapid technological developments as major forces reshaping the world, saying Pakistan's institutions must prepare for these changes.

Citing Nokia and BlackBerry, he remarked businesses that fail to adjust to changing market conditions eventually lose their relevance. He pressed administration institutions to adopt the same approach and turn global changes into opportunities for national development.

Meanwhile, the minister remarked Pakistan needed peace, security, political stability, consistent policies for at least 10 years and structural reforms to achieve sustainable economic expansion.

Referring to the country's economic history, Iqbal remarked Pakistan had been making progress under Vision 2025 in 2017, but political developments in 2018 interrupted that momentum. He continued that the country subsequently faced severe economic difficulties and came close to default in 2022.

Nevertheless, he cautioned that without accelerating reforms and development, Pakistan's economy could reach only around $600 billion by that year.

Iqbal identified exports, energy, environment, equity and E-Pakistan as the five main pillars of the URAAN Pakistan framework.

He remarked increasing exports beyond $100 billion by 2035 was necessary to strengthen Pakistan's economic sovereignty. He additionally stressed improvements in education, healthcare and other social sectors, highlighting the importance of developing human resources for long-term national progress.

Addressing the officers, the minister pressed them to move beyond routine administrative responsibilities and contribute to meaningful changes in administration institutions and society.

While asking the officers to draw guidance from the governance principles of the Khulafa-e-Rashideen, he pressed public administration based on honesty, accountability and service to citizens.

At the ceremony, Iqbal distributed completion certificates among the 46 officers and wished them success in their professional careers. Stay Connected with ProPakistani.

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In short, political Govts May Come and Go But Civil Service Remains the Permanent is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.