Government publishes development data catalog at constituency level, says Ahsan Iqbal

Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal announced on Thursday that the government will publish a constituency-level development data catalog aimed at providing detailed insight into development indicators and promoting transparency.

Addressing the Pakistan Governance Forum 2026 in Islamabad on its second day, the minister said the Ministry of Planning and Development had largely completed work on the initiative. He noted that the library would promote “positive competition among public representatives in the development sector.”

Iqbal also stressed the need for an empowered local government system and said stronger grassroots structures were essential to improve the overall governance framework. He further called for a parliamentary debate on the five Es of the Uraan Pakistan program – exports, e-Pakistan, energy, environment and justice and empowerment – with the aim of steering the country towards sustainable, technology-driven and inclusive economic growth.

Speaking at the forum, Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, described the event as an important initiative and reiterated the central role of parliament in a democratic system.

Read: Stability the key to lasting progress, says minister

He emphasized the need for an inclusive global digital architecture and argued that artificial intelligence should benefit the many rather than the few. “Developing countries must have a voice in shaping global norms,” ​​he said, adding that parliament must build its capacity to legislate on critical areas such as data protection, digital rights and responsible innovation.

The speaker also highlighted the importance of diversifying partnerships, strengthening regional relations, championing multilateralism and investing in human capital for sustained national progress.

Later, while addressing the media, Ayaz Sadiq said it was a collective responsibility to improve governance from the grassroots to the top. He emphasized that improving the functioning of the institutions was crucial to strengthening the country’s governance system.

Earlier, he said that the Pakistan Governance Forum would prove beneficial for better governance and transparency, adding that legislation related to governance was already under way. He also noted that accountability remained essential to ensure transparency and revealed that some powers from the Speaker’s office had been delegated to a committee.

Yesterday, at the inaugural meeting of the Pakistan Governance Forum 2026, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for a “whole of government” approach to tackling Pakistan’s economic challenges, urging stakeholders to move forward with a collective effort towards sustainable growth. He lamented that the country suffered annual power theft of about Rs 200 billion. and emphasized that only coordinated institutional action could solve the problem.

The prime minister reiterated that the government’s role was to facilitate – not drive – business, emphasizing support for exporters, investors and the private sector through targeted incentives. Expressing optimism about Pakistan’s economic potential, he said the country could enhance its global status within a few years through strong political will and concerted efforts.

Shehbaz also highlighted the need to broaden the tax base and noted that Pakistan’s tax-to-GDP ratio had reached 10.5% due to recent measures. He emphasized the importance of increasing production, exports, investment and foreign direct investment while calling for general reductions in indirect taxes in the upcoming budget. The prime minister lamented that taxes collected from consumers were sometimes not deposited with the government, terming it a “huge injustice” to the nation.

Read more: Prime Minister Shehbaz urges a “whole of government approach” to overcome the economic crisis

Pointing to sectoral gains, he said tax collection had improved in the sugar, cement and tobacco industries, while the IT sector registered 34% growth but still had significant untapped potential. He emphasized the importance of the country’s youth bulge and called for expanded technical and vocational training, saying IT and AI-led initiatives would transform several sectors.

Separately, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal told the forum that the initiative aimed to create actionable policy solutions through debate and stakeholder engagement. He said that good governance must be merit-based, transparent and citizen-focused, adding that the Uraan Pakistan program was designed to play a transformative role in the economy. The minister asserted that over the past two years, the government had pulled the country back from the brink of bankruptcy and expressed confidence that with sustained reforms and positive synergy, Pakistan could become a $1 trillion economy by 2035.