Planning Commission of Pakistan prepared, Pakistan Vision 2025 with an aim to develop strategies in order to fast track the development with the decisive objective of transforming Pakistan so t can get a position in one of top ten economies in the world by 2047. Under this vision by 2025, it foresees Pakistan among top twenty five economies of the world with a position of an upper middle income country. The vision comprises of different models, five enablers and seven pillars all these ingredients presents an integrated formula for growth and prosperity. The seven pillars under Vision 2025 stands on the idea of acceptance of change and revolution as well as to produce new prospects based on an instinctive force. All the goals of Vision 2025 can only be attained by focusing on variety of precedence areas particularly those which can and will be an aid to make Pakistan an enormously attractive destination for the private investment with a huge number of modern business opportunities.
The Vision also underlines the inequity between economic development and social development and further proposes strategies for augmenting the socioeconomic indicators of Pakistan. Most of the social development indicators including population welfare, poverty, gender mainstreaming, literacy, school enrolment, immunization coverage and access to clean water are also assured under this vision by investing additionally in human and social development.
Vision 2025 identifies the inhabitants of Pakistan as the utmost asset and strives to influence their power for augmentation and development.
According to the Vision, the major precedence has to be the exploration of the covert energies, latent skills and the fervor of around 110 Million people below the age of 30, and make them the agents of change. It is compulsory for a nation to progress that it must be having a comprehensible idea to attain the target. In absence of any such idea or way it is almost impossible to have a roadmap in order to employ the policies that would guide to reach out the destination. A national vision is destined to offer clearness to our common and inspirational destination. Pakistan was established on such a vision. However, with the passage of time the clearness of that destination became indistinct.
Pakistan 2025 vision basically shows a commitment to reconstruct and revamp the idea and theory on which this country was established. The vision also based on the idea to highlight the essence of independence movement and the foundation on which this country was established.
Unfortunately, Pakistan nowadays is facing alarming social, economic, security and governance challenges. It is not that only Pakistan is facing these challenges. Many other nations around the globe are facing or have faced the comparable challenges and many have productively twisted them into opportunities through solid economic planning, good governance and steadiness in policy execution. It is pertinent to mention that by efficiently addressing these challenges Pakistan can explore more opportunities for transformational development. This is an era of extraordinary change and intricacy, it is crucial for Pakistan to revitalize its structure for national development in order to generate a vigorous policy and to place Pakistan in the confederation of Upper Middle Income countries by 2025. The current situation highlighted the need for a consensus-based national vision and inclusive strategy not only to fight out all these challenges, but also proactively embrace a bright future of the country.
It is predicted that by 2025, Pakistan’s population will be increased to over 227 million. The population will also encompass a much bigger percentage of younger people (63% below the age of 30). These demographic projections increase a number of problems for the country. Firstly, without a radical reduction of population growth, no country other than oil-rich economies has been able to break into the high-income club. The first repercussion of the elevated population is the downward burden it puts on growth. This is chiefly because investment funds have to be determined in meeting the needs of the growing population (education, health, housing, police, and other infrastructure), rather than productivity growth. As such, the need for lessening the growth rate of population is more vital than ever. Secondly, on the optimistic side, the reduced fertility rates during this period will generate a demographic dividend, in which the dependence ratio will drop. This can produce an opportunity for the country to improve its productive capacity because of the enlargement in the supply of human resources.
Demographic dividend is an opportunity that is there till 2045. Thirdly, a significant element of these investments in human development is related to provision of food and nutrition to the mounting population. Given the outlook of climate change and reduced water resource, this will make up one of the key challenges faced by the country in years to come. Current Nutritional inadequacies throughout the country hamper the growth of the intellectual faculties of school-going children and young adults and could thus affect intergenerational disparities with regards to opportunity and income. The increasing population in Pakistan highlights a major hazard to food security, Pakistan’s growth and social indicators and constancy. Fourthly, it will also be an enormous and vital challenge to offer good and productive career opportunities for the increasing number of individuals entering the workforce. About 1.5 million new jobs will require to be formed every year just to keep the unemployment at its current rate. Providing full employment is significant not only for rising production levels, but also to lift family incomes and expenditure, make certain the upholding of the self-worth of individuals, dropping income differences, and thus shielding the social fabric.
As mentioned earlier there are 7 pillars on which this vision stands. First pillar is based on the concept of People First which revolves around the idea of developing social and human capital and women empowerment. This has a direct link with the SDGs 1 (poverty), 3, (health) 4 (education), and 5 (gender). The second pillar is based on the concept of Growth which revolves around the idea of Sustained, indigenous, and inclusive growth. The target is virtually linked to SDG 8, and also to SDGs 10, 12, 13, 14 and 15. The third pillar is based on the concept of Governance which revolves around the concept of democratic governance, institutional reform and modernizing of the public sector. This target is linked with the SDG 16.
The fourth pillar is based on the concept of Security which contains Energy, water, and food security. This target is linked to SDG 2 (zero hunger), 6 (water security), 7 (energy security), and 11 (urban). The fifth pillar is based on the concept of Entrepreneurship which contains Private Sector and entrepreneurship-led growth. This target is linked to SDG 9 (foster innovation). The sixth pillar is based on the concept of Knowledge Economy which further revolves around the concept of developing a competitive knowledge economy through value addition. It directly links to SDG 9 (innovation) and 4 (education). The 7th pillar is based on the concept of Connectivity while Modernizing transport infrastructure for regional connectivity. This target is linked with the SDG 9 (infrastructure) and 17 (global partnership). It is imperative to mention here that Pakistan’s impulsive growth experience has been a result of our over dependence on exterior support and exogenous factors.
Under vision 2025, in order to guarantee a constant path of advanced growth rates, focus will be on endogenous factors of development such as domestic resource mobilization, tax reforms, science, technology and innovation, motivating export led augmentation and attracting foreign direct investment.
Remittances have provided a crucial support to monetary requirements of the country but their true potential has not been comprehended. Under this vision new reforms are introduced and will further be initiated to augment remittances by offering incentives. However, with an idea of acquiring this longer-term target, there is a requirement to construct a concrete and self-sustaining platform to utilize and exploit the external funding sources in the medium term. There are certain socio-economic imbalances in Pakistan. There are horizontal and vertical, intra and inter-provincial, as well as rural and urban disparities. Vision 2025; foresees a policy for increasing a combined and impartial society through a balanced development approach, social fortification and quick broad based development. This will guarantee provision of opportunities and economic development to all sections of society. Pakistan 2025 is also focusing on introducing a National Brand.
The aim behind the procedure of brand reinstatement is to focus on recognizing and endorsing the indigenous products and services that are, or can willingly become, known as ‘world-class’ and truly scalable. These might include many things like cotton, rice, mangoes, high quality textiles, prospective for world-class off-shore services; geographical marvels such as K2, regions that are home to ancient civilizations such as Mohenjo-daro; cuisine and civilization like Gandhara and Buddhist shrines, the Himalayan Salt Mines. Therefore the role of media is very imperative. It is responsibility of the media to promote the positive image of Pakistan and strengthen this path to achieve a sustainable growth and prosperity of the country.
