At the Finance Leaders Conference in Islamabad, organised by The Institute of Financial Accountants, Federal Minister Prof. Ahsan Iqbal outlined a clear Finance Vision that ties ethical finance to technological readiness and export-led growth. In a frank address he warned that “Finance without foresight leads to folly. Intelligence without ethics leads to chaos,” underscoring the need for values to guide rapid innovation.
The Minister said Pakistan’s recovery has moved beyond survival into renewal, driven by stability, merit, innovation and human capital. He highlighted concrete gains including inflation falling from 38% to a nine-year low of 4.5%, remittances rising 27% to $38 billion, and the Pakistan Stock Exchange ranking among the world’s top-performing markets — evidence, he said, that policy direction is producing measurable results aligned with the Finance Vision.
Prof. Iqbal announced the launch of a National AI Policy and an AI Task Force to embed artificial intelligence across governance, industry and finance, emphasising that responsible AI must advance alongside strong ethical frameworks. He also introduced URAAN Pakistan and the 5Es framework as the operational pillars for transformation, focusing on Exports, E-Pakistan (the tech economy), Environment, Energy and Equity to mobilise sustainable growth.
The address placed export-led growth at the centre of the Finance Vision, calling for a shift from consumption to production and the unlocking of potential across IT, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, minerals and creative industries. He described an “Atomic Model of Success” built on six principles — Vision, Stability, Merit, Human Capital, Resources and Autonomy — as the strategic foundation for long-term change.
Warning against complacency, the Minister reiterated that Pakistan cannot afford another lost decade and urged combining the ethics of finance, the discipline of planning and the energy of youth. As Islamabad seeks to build the bridge between finance, foresight and future readiness, the call is to move from firefighting to future-building and to translate policies on paper into progress on the ground under a shared Finance Vision.
