Daily Times

Federal Minister for Planning and Development, Ahsan Iqbal, has accused a group of judges and military generals of derailing Pakistan’s progress by imposing an “inexperienced” leader on the country.

Speaking to the media at the Expo Centre in Lahore, Iqbal said, “Pakistan was on the development path when a few judges and generals imposed an amateur on the country.”

The federal minister made these remarks referring to the beleaguered and incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.

Iqbal emphasized the potential of Pakistan’s agricultural sector, stating that billions of dollars could be added to the nation’s resources through agricultural exports. “Pakistan is a country with immense potential in every sector. If we are to move forward, we must increase our exports,” he noted.

He drew a parallel with the recent historic achievements of Pakistani athlete Arshad Nadeem in the Paris Olympics 2024, saying, “We must progress just as Arshad Nadeem raised the flag of Pakistan”.

“His story teaches us that success is possible even with limited resources.”

Iqbal further remarked, “If Arshad Nadeem can win a gold medal, why can’t this resource-rich country achieve the ‘gold medal’ in development?

Last night, Arshad Nadeem’s father told me, ‘I have raised my children on halal earnings.'”

Reflecting on the challenges Pakistan has faced, he added, “A lot has happened to Pakistan-sit-ins, long marches, and court decisions have put us in difficult situation”.

“Pakistan was on the path to progress until a few judges and generals imposed an inexperienced leader on us”.

Moreover, he said hat agriculture development was crucial for securing Pakistan’s economic future. The planning minister emphasized that agriculture development was the only way to effectively address the current challenges faced by the country.

He detailed plans for a transformative “Green Revolution,” which would leverage technological advancements to enhance agricultural productivity and drive national development.

He stressed the need for enhancing exports to advance economically and noted that with thousands of agro-processing units already operating, Pakistan should capitalize on global trends by developing its national brands to foster growth and increase revenue.