Pakistan must raise exports to $100 billion by 2035 to achieve economic independence and escape recurring balance-of-payments crises, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Wednesday.
Addressing an international economics conference in Islamabad on October 14, he urged a shift towards production and export-led growth. He called for practical measures to strengthen competitiveness and connect Pakistani businesses with global supply networks.
“If Pakistan succeeds in exporting $100 billion by 2035, then we will reach the level of economic independence,” he said.
The PML-N minister spoke at the 39th International Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Pakistan Society of Development Economists. The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) hosted the event, which focused on turning the export ambition into workable policies.
Uraan Pakistan puts exports at the centre
Iqbal said the Uraan Pakistan initiative prioritised exports as a route to lasting economic stability. He stressed that Pakistan needed stronger links with international markets to finance development through its own earnings.
He urged policymakers to organise industries around competitive clusters and complete value chains. These clusters would connect producers with skilled workers, universities, testing laboratories, finance providers, logistics companies and overseas buyers.
Businesses also needed to meet international standards, improve reliability and produce goods that matched global demand. He identified branding, technology and value addition as areas requiring greater attention.
The push follows earlier government instructions to develop detailed export plans under Uraan Pakistan. In May 2025, Iqbal directed ministries to establish working groups, set measurable targets and prepare business plans for individual clusters.
That review focused on a $60 billion export target over five years, providing an earlier milestone for the broader expansion drive.
Domestic weaknesses hold back exporters
PIDE Vice-Chancellor Dr Nadeem Javaid said weaknesses in Pakistan’s domestic economic system remained a major reason for low exports. He called for an effective strategy and better production standards to achieve the $100 billion goal.
Javaid, who also heads the economists’ society, highlighted the scale of the challenge. Goods and services exports fell from around 16% of GDP in the late 1990s to approximately 10.4% in 2024.
He identified expensive energy, tariffs, limited financing, logistics problems, skills shortages and regulatory uncertainty as obstacles to competitiveness. He also criticised incentives that favoured protected domestic markets and low-value activities.
CPEC 2.0 offers agricultural opportunities
Chinese expert Yuan Jianmin highlighted opportunities to expand agricultural exports under the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
He proposed a green channel for transporting fresh produce through the Khunjerab route. He also suggested wider use of Chinese currency for cross-border payments.
The two-day conference runs from October 14 to 15. Organisers selected 24 papers from 204 submitted research abstracts, while 31 PhD scholars are presenting research posters.
