LAHORE
\nFederal Minister for Planning,Development and Special Initiatives Prof. Ahsan Iqbal said that architecture plays a pivotal role in shaping a nation\u2019s culture and identity, stressing that Pakistan possesses a rich and fertile civilizational heritage that must be preserved,promoted and integrated into modern development trends.
\nHe expressed these views while addressing the closing ceremony of IAPEX 2025 at the Expo Centre on Saturday.
\nThe minister said Pakistan was blessed with a vast and fertile cultural legacy, and its history served as the foundation of its national identity. It was therefore essential,he stressed, to develop and preserve historical assets so that the country\u2019s cultural identity remained clear and intact.
\nHe noted that while many old structures still stood in Karachi, the city\u2019s historic character was rapidly fading, highlighting the need to retain heritage even in modern architectural trends.
\nAhsan Iqbal said Pakistan had increased imports over the years but failed to raise exports accordingly, creating economic imbalances. After making the country a nuclear power, he said, the national goal now was to build a strong economy.
\nClimate change, he added, had become one of the biggest global and national challenges, making it crucial to incorporate green design requirements into all future construction.
\nHe said the era when governments alone could run economies had come to an end worldwide, and economic progress now depended on the strength of the private sector.
\nWhen the coalition government took over, the economy was on the brink of default, he said, but steady reforms were helping Pakistan move out of that crisis.
\nHe added that no other country had brought inflation under control as quickly as Pakistan, and the stock market\u2019s new record highs reflected growing investor confidence.
\nThe planning minister said a nation could not maintain its defense for long without a resilient economy.
\nPaying tribute to the families of martyrs, he said Pakistani mothers were sacrificing their sons for the country, and despite past hardships, Pakistan always responded firmly to India when needed. He said that now the national focus must shift towards \u201cwinning the battle of development,\u201d adding \u201cWhen Pakistan celebrates its 100 years, we should be a three-trillion-dollar economy.\u201d
\nHe said economic strength could not be built in an atmosphere of division and instability, and Pakistan needed an \u201ceconomic long march,\u201d with every citizen contributing in their respective fields and by establishing \u201cMade in Pakistan\u201d as a leading global brand.
\nCommenting on recent developments, he said the DG ISPR\u2019s press conference had become necessary under the circumstances. He said the armed forces were making immense sacrifices in the fight against terrorism, and any attempt to unfairly criticize or target the institution would be dealt with strictly.
\nHe said extremists, hostile elements in India and certain actors within Pakistan were involved in conspiracies against the state, adding that if he were in such a situation, he would have held an even stronger press briefing.
\nAhsan Iqbal said it was important to distinguish between politics and the state.
\nHe recalled that he and many other leaders had been jailed in fabricated cases, but they never protested abroad against Pakistan. Internal issues, he said, should be resolved responsibly. \u201cPakistan is our collective family,\u201d he remarked, adding that any attempt to malign the state or the armed forces would be handled firmly.
\nThe minister said the armed forces were fighting terrorism with full commitment, and urged the KP government to make restoring peace its top priority.
\nIf the provincial government failed to fulfill its constitutional responsibilities and the situation moved towards internal unrest, he cautioned, extreme steps such as the imposition of governor\u2019s rule could be considered, although no such option was currently under discussion.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LAHORE Federal Minister for Planning,Development and Special Initiatives Prof. Ahsan Iqbal said that architecture plays a pivotal role in shaping a nation\u2019s culture and identity, stressing that Pakistan possesses a rich and fertile civilizational heritage that must be preserved,promoted and integrated into modern development trends. He expressed these views while addressing the closing ceremony of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":428901,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-518602","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n