Planning Minister Challenges Researchers to Conduct Research on enhancing Exports, Emphasizes Scientific Planning, Research Relevance, and Global Competitiveness at RASTA-PIDE Conference
Planning Minister Challenges Researchers to Conduct Research on enhancing Exports, Emphasizes Scientific Planning, Research Relevance, and Global Competitiveness at RASTA-PIDE Conference
Islamabad: The 5th RASTA-PIDE Conference commenced today in Islamabad with an insightful keynote address by Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, who outlined a inclusive vision for Pakistan’s progress rooted in scientific planning, evidence-based policymaking, and sustained economic reforms. The event was attended by distinguished academics, researchers, and policymakers including Dr. Nadeem Javed, Vice Chairman PIDE and Dr. Hafeez Pasha, the Senior Financial Analyst
The Minister stressed that the conference’s research findings, representing the efforts of researchers, present a critical opportunity for Pakistan to refine its developmental strategies. The minister urged participants to draw inspiration from successful nations, noting that every prosperous country has relied on scientific planning as a cornerstone of progress.
Prof. Iqbal placed significant emphasis on the urgent need to strengthen Pakistan’s export sector, identifying it as a linchpin for economic self-reliance and global competitiveness. He maintained that the nation’s research and innovation efforts must prioritize enhancing the value and diversity of exports, particularly through the development of industrial clusters in key sectors such as textiles, information technology, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals. Drawing lessons from countries like South Korea and Singapore, which leveraged targeted strategies to dominate international markets, he stressed that these clusters could drive economies of scale, improve product quality, and attract foreign investment. The minister underscored that without a robust export framework, supported by cutting-edge products and data-driven policies, Pakistan risks lagging behind regional peers, urging researchers and policymakers to collaborate on solutions that elevate the country’s trade profile and multiply its foreign exchange earnings.
Reflecting on the initiation of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in 2013, he highlighted the three guiding principles shared by Chinese leadership: evidence-based scientific planning, phased implementation, and prioritizing manageable steps to ensure steady advancement.
Addressing the role of higher education, Prof. Iqbal revealed that the government has launched the Science, Technology and Engineering for Development initiative. He presented STED as a flagship effort to align scientific research with national development goals, aiming to produce practical solutions that drive economic growth.
Prof. Iqbal also took a moment to commend the Vice Chancellor of the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), Dr. Nadeem Javed, for spearheading an innovative research methodology that promises to redefine how academic inquiry supports national development. He lauded this approach for its emphasis on aligning research with practical policymaking, ensuring that studies conducted under PIDE’s banner directly address Pakistan’s pressing economic and social challenges.
Reflecting on his 35-year career, Prof. Iqbal traced Pakistan’s developmental milestones and setbacks, from tackling 18-hour power outages and rampant terrorism in 2013 to achieving zero load-shedding and restoring peace by 2017-18. He credited CPEC with attracting $25 billion in Chinese investment, transforming Pakistan’s global image and drawing interest from American and European firms eager to collaborate. However, he lamented recurring political instability, urging that Pakistan’s core challenge lies not in economics or politics alone but in its inability to sustain a stable ecosystem for growth.
Prof. Iqbal outlined four essential pillars for a successful national ecosystem: peace and stability, decade-long policy continuity, a charter of economy transcending regime changes, and continuous reforms to adapt to a rapidly evolving world. He warned that without this framework, even the brightest minds and abundant resources would fail to propel Pakistan forward.
Looking ahead to 2047—Pakistan’s centennial of independence—Prof. Iqbal framed the next 22 years as a critical sprint to outpace regional peers, requiring precise, data-driven decisions to optimize limited resources.
In closing, Prof. Iqbal asserted that Pakistan has abundant talent, passion, and potential that remains untapped due to systemic failures, calling for a unified effort to build stability, continuity, and reform. The minister’s address set an ambitious tone for the conference, urging participants to harness research as a tool for informed policymaking and transformative growth, ensuring Pakistan emerges as a success story by its 100th year of independence.
Earlier, Dr. Muhammad Nadeem Javaid, Vice Chancellor of PIDE, officially opened the conference by emphasizing the crucial role of evidence-based research in shaping Pakistan’s economic policies. He underscored that PIDE serves as a vital link between research and action, ensuring that policy advocacy and economic transformation remain closely connected. Dr. Javaid announced several key initiatives, including a rigorous selection process for research funding to promote high-impact, evidence-based studies. He also shared plans to establish a policy lab that will provide real-time, data-driven solutions to Pakistan’s economic and governance challenges. Additionally, he announced that 90 top researchers and policymakers will be recruited at PIDE, solely on merit, with no political interference in the hiring process. Finally, Dr. Javaid shared that PhD students will be placed in economic ministries for two years, where they will address real-world policy challenges while developing their research theses.
Dr. Faheem Jehangir, Director Policy at PIDE and Project Director RASTA, presented the RASTA progress report, detailing the program’s remarkable expansion over the past four years. He highlighted that RASTA has built an extensive knowledge network, collaborating with 70 local universities, 12 international institutions, and over 4,300 researchers, practitioners, and academicians. Providing insights into the Competitive Grant Program (CGP), he reported that 1,664 applications had been received across seven rounds, but only 90 research projects (7.8% selection rate) were funded to maintain quality, with 65 already completed and the remaining 25 being presented at the conference. Additionally, the Demand-Driven Research (DDR) Program, designed to meet research needs for government ministries, received over 100 research requests, funding 33 government-driven projects, with 22 successfully completed and publicly available for reference.
The 5th RASTA-PIDE Conference not only brings together researchers, policymakers, and academics on a single platform but also serves the noble purpose of promoting scientific research and evidence-based decision-making for national development.
