ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The federal government has launched its Vision 2025 programme on Monday, declaring education and human resource development as top priorities.
In his address at the launching ceremony of the programme which aims to transform Pakistan into an economically strong and prosperous state, the federal minister for planning and development Ahsan Iqbal said that the Vision 2025 sets the directions for the sustainable and inclusive growth of the economy with the objective to reduce poverty and backwardness.
The minister said that top most priority has been given to human resource development in the document for which Rs12.5 billion have been allocated.
Iqbal said that the long term development plan envisages export and private sector-led growth. He said that under this plan, exports will be enhanced to $150 billion by 2025. To achieve this target, modern infrastructure of road and rail network will be developed and competitiveness will be introduced in all sectors of economy including agriculture and industry.
The planning and development minister said that under this plan food and energy security will be ensured.
Ahsan Iqbal said that 10,400 megawatt of electricity will be produced with the assistance of China to overcome the crisis. He said that the United States, Middle Eastern and the European countries are also helping Pakistan to cope with the energy shortage.
Iqbal further said that implementation of this long term plan will be ensured at all costs as it has been prepared with the consensus of all the four provinces and the political parties.
A special unit will be constituted in the planning commission which will present quarterly report on the implementation of Vision 2025, he said.
The Vision 2025 includes a national human development endowment fund of Rs10 billion, Rs5 billion technological development fund and Rs1 billion for science farming.