Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Professor Ahsan Iqbal, on Friday highlighted Pakistan’s blue economy as a strategic avenue for boosting exports, creating employment, and supporting sustainable economic growth.
Speaking at a forum titled ‘Strengthening Pakistan’s Blue Economy: High-Level Roundtable on Maritime Growth’, the minister said Pakistan could significantly enhance foreign exchange earnings by fully leveraging its maritime resources. Representatives from the Gwadar Port Authority, Ministry of Maritime Affairs, and other stakeholders attended the session.
The roundtable featured a briefing by Member Infrastructure Dr Waqas Anwar on the ministry’s ongoing work and proposed roadmap for maritime and blue economy development. The briefing outlined that achieving Pakistan’s $1 trillion economy target by 2035 will require accelerated export growth and effective utilisation of underdeveloped sectors, including fisheries, aquaculture, ports, shipbuilding, and maritime tourism.
Prof Iqbal emphasised that gaps in value addition, cold chain infrastructure, processing, branding, and marketing currently limit sector returns, underscoring the need for integrated, coordinated action across stakeholders.
The planning minister also noted that foundational work has been completed on port development in Karachi, Port Qasim, and Gwadar, as well as shipbuilding initiatives and the revitalisation of Gadani Shipyard, marking early steps to unlock the maritime sector’s full potential.
He concluded that with a holistic approach and stakeholder coordination, Pakistan can transform its blue economy from potential to performance, making it a key driver of export-led growth and sustainable development.
