Pakistan Must Transform Human Resources Into Economic Strength: Ahsan Iqbal
Pakistan’s path to development lies through education, research, innovation and technology, according to Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal. He emphasized the need to empower the country’s youth and transform its human resources into economic strength on Thursday during a conference at the University of Lahore.
Addressing the gathering, Iqbal stressed the importance of strengthening linkages between universities and industry for Pakistan to move towards a knowledge-based and production-oriented economy. The event, titled "The Makkah Pact & the New Geometry of Power," attracted political and former military officials, bureaucrats, journalists, and members of the business community.
Iqbal characterized the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement as more than just a military arrangement, viewing it as a broader framework encompassing universities, laboratories, technology, investment, connectivity, and economic cooperation. Signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey on August 7, 2026, Iqbal noted its significance in the changing global landscape.
He highlighted the strengths of each country involved:
- Saudi Arabia: Vast economic resources, energy strength, financial capacity, and growing ambitions in technology.
- Turkey: Strong industrial base, advanced defense industry, and important geographical position linking Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
- Pakistan: Large young population, significant defense capabilities, and strategic geographical importance connecting South Asia, Central Asia, China, the Arabian Sea, and the Gulf.
Iqbal suggested that the pact's true value lies in "combined military capabilities" but also extended to joint efforts in areas like:
- Artificial intelligence
- Cybersecurity
- Space technology
- Energy
- Food security
- Critical minerals
He called for stronger partnerships among Pakistan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia in research, investment, and regional connectivity. Combining Pakistani human capital, Turkish technology, and Saudi investment, Iqbal believes, could bring about "significant transformation".
Emphasizing the need to link geopolitics with geo-economics, Iqbal concluded that Pakistan's strategic objective should be "strategic autonomy, not strategic isolation".