ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed economic authorities to increase the proposed federal Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) allocation for the fiscal year 2026-27 by Rs200 billion, signalling the government’s intention to boost spending on development projects despite fiscal constraints. Read More: Provinces propose record Rs3.14 trillion development budget According to sources, the prime minister […]
Ahsan Iqbal
Govt pursuing export-led growth to avoid boom-bust cycles: Ahsan
Ahsan-iqbal-copyFederal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Monday said the government was pursuing a strategy of sustainable, export-led growth to steer the economy away from recurring boom-bust cycles and ensure long-term stability. “We have consciously decided that we have to take the path of sustained growth,” he said while addressing […]
Ahsan Iqbal says economy is recovering
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal, has said Pakistan’s economy is on the path to recovery, while emphasizing the need to prioritize and complete ongoing development projects to support sustainable growth. Read More: Ahsan Iqbal says Pakistan saved region, slams India Speaking at the Annual Plan Coordination Committee meeting for the 2026-27 […]
Ahsan Iqbal links regional role to national strength
Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has said Pakistan’s growing relevance in regional affairs is closely connected to its recent strategic and diplomatic positioning, stressing that long-term national progress now depends on economic strength and development. Read More: Ahsan Iqbal stresses engineers’ role in Pakistan’s progress Addressing an event at the Lahore Chamber of […]
Transport fares remain stable across Pakistan, says price monitoring committee
The National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC) has stated that transport fares across Pakistan have remained unchanged, even as officials reported mixed trends in the prices of essential commodities, including a notable decline in chicken prices. Read More: Inter-city transport fares drop after diesel price cut The claim was made during a meeting chaired by Planning Minister Ahsan […]
National economy demonstrated notable stabilisation: Ahsan Iqbal
Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal here on Saturday said that national economy has demonstrated notable stabilization and was steadily moving on a recovery path during the eight-month journey of fiscal year 2025-26. Presenting the Monthly Development Update for February 2026, the minister said that the positive trends reflect the impact […]
CDWP clears Rs123bn development projects
Pakistan’s Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Thursday approved 11 development projects with a combined estimated cost of more than Rs123 billion, covering sectors including education, health, infrastructure and agriculture. Read More: CDWP approves 8 mega development projects, 1 forwarded to ECNEC The meeting was chaired by Planning Minister and Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission […]
Govt to publish constituency-level development data directory: Ahsan
Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday announced that the government will publish a constituency-level development data directory aimed at providing detailed insights into development indicators and promoting transparency. Addressing the Pakistan Governance Forum 2026 in Islamabad on its second day, the minister said the Ministry of Planning and Development had largely […]
Ahsan meets media leaders to launch series on Quaid-e-Azam, Allama Iqbal
Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal, on Saturday chaired a high-level consultative meeting with leading media houses, prominent producers, directors, and creative heads to deliberate on the development of two landmark historical web series on Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Muhammad Iqbal. The proposed series is envisioned as a flagship production […]
Pakistan’s poverty rate rises to 28.8% in 2024-25
Pakistan’s poverty rate has climbed to 28.8 percent in 2024-25, up from 21.9 percent in 2018-19, marking a sharp reversal in earlier gains and reflecting mounting economic pressures over the past six years, according to official estimates. Read More: Nearly 45% of Pakistanis now live below poverty line: World bank The latest figures, based on the Household Integrated […]