Federal Planning Minister Professor Ahsan Iqbal addressed students and recent graduates at Yejang Institute of Technology, urging Pakistani youth to see themselves as architects of the country’s future rather than merely degree holders. He framed his remarks around the government’s Udaan Pakistan vision, calling on young people to take active roles in national development.
Professor Iqbal presented Udaan Pakistan as a five-point 5Es framework focused on increasing exports, building an e‑Pakistan, ensuring environmental and food security, strengthening energy and infrastructure, and promoting equality, ethics and empowerment. He stressed that each element of the framework requires fresh thinking, technical skills and leadership from the next generation.
Addressing the audience directly, the minister said Pakistan does not only want degrees from its young people but also their ideas, leadership and systems-driven solutions. He encouraged Pakistani youth to adopt an entrepreneurial mindset, bring innovation to public and private institutions, and translate academic knowledge into projects that create jobs and boost exports.
Professor Iqbal urged students to study models of long-term planning and discipline, particularly pointing to lessons from China, and to introduce adaptive institutional structures on their return that can help pivot Pakistan toward a knowledge and skills based economy. He asked graduates to become champions of reform and to lead initiatives that strengthen energy systems, digital governance and environmental resilience.
The minister’s message appealed to the civic and professional ambitions of Pakistani youth, emphasizing that national progress will depend on their leadership, ethical standards and willingness to implement practical solutions across technology, infrastructure and sustainable development.
