Pakistan has launched its first National Economic Mission, titled Export Acceleration, Production, Quality, Innovation and Branding, with targets of $63 billion in exports by 2030 and $100 billion by 2035. The government has placed export growth at the centre of its economic strategy to boost foreign exchange earnings through increased overseas sales of Pakistani products.Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal chaired the mission's inaugural high-level stakeholder meeting in Islamabad.
It brought together federal ministries and key stakeholders to develop a coordinated, time-bound roadmap to make Pakistan a globally competitive export economy. "Exports are not simply another economic target. For Pakistan, exports are a question of economic sovereignty and national survival.
We cannot build a sustainable economy by repeatedly borrowing to finance our external requirements. We must earn our way into the future," Iqbal said. The minister said the 11 National Economic Missions under Uraan Pakistan, approved by the National Economic Council (NEC), marked a shift from managing individual sectors in isolation to mobilising the country around clearly defined national goals and outcomes.
He said the NEC has also directed federal ministries and provincial governments to align development spending and sectoral policies with Uraan Pakistan's priorities.Pakistan's export performance over the past two decades underscores the urgency of the mission. Between 2000 and 2024, the country's exports rose from about $9 billion to $41 billion, recording a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.5 per cent. By comparison, Vietnam's exports grew from about $14 billion to $405 billion, with a CAGR of 15.1 per cent.
Bangladesh's exports increased from around $5 billion to more than $55 billion, recording a CAGR of approximately 10.5 per cent. The comparison highlights the scale of Pakistan's export challenge. Pakistan and Vietnam started from broadly similar positions in 2000, but their export trajectories diverged substantially over the following 25 years, highlighting the role of governance, policy choices and a sustained export-oriented economic strategy.
The Export Acceleration Mission will be built around seven strategic pillars aimed at addressing structural constraints on Pakistan's export performance. These include sectoral export tracks, export enablement, cluster-based export diversification, productivity, quality, innovation and sustainability (PQI+), commercial diplomacy, National Brand Pakistan, and accountability and performance. The mission will focus on diversifying and expanding exports, advancing the Production, Quality, Innovation and Brand Pakistan agenda, professionalising trade missions, entering non-traditional markets and aligning key supporting areas - including energy, taxation, customs, logistics and finance - with export performance.
A key component will be a cluster-based export strategy to identify and strengthen Pakistan's industrial and economic clusters, diversify exports and improve integration with global value chains. Iqbal cited Wazirabad's cutlery industry, Gujrat's fan manufacturing sector, and the furniture industries of Chiniot and Gujranwala as examples of local capabilities that could be developed into globally competitive clusters. This would require stronger value chains, product development, international certification, branding, design, technology and market intelligence.
The mission aims to diversify Pakistan's export base beyond traditional products and markets, strengthen links with global value chains and promote export growth through industrial clusters and special economic zones (SEZs), including in non-traditional markets. Under the National Brand Pakistan pillar, the government aims to build 'Made in Pakistan' into a trusted global brand. The PQI+ pillar will focus on improving productivity, quality, innovation and sustainability to narrow Pakistan's export competitiveness gap.
The mission will also seek to strengthen commercial diplomacy to open international markets for Pakistani businesses. The government aims to use Pakistan's diplomatic presence more effectively to secure trade deals, improve market access and create export opportunities, particularly in non-traditional and high-potential markets. Participating ministries and stakeholders agreed on the need for a coordinated national approach and identified priority areas for the mission's roadmap, including export diversification, industrial productivity, value addition, quality standards, innovation, branding, market access, cluster development and stronger integration with global value chains.
Iqbal directed stakeholders to develop a comprehensive implementation roadmap with specific targets, timelines and institutional responsibilities. The Ministry of Planning will provide coordination and technical support.