Pakistan seeks ADB roadmap for export-led growth

Mettis Global reported that Pakistan has asked the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for technical support and international best practices to widen and diversify its exports. Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal told ADB Vice President for South, Central and West Asia Yingming Yang in Islamabad that genuine economic stability can only come from exports rather than borrowing. He described the shift to an export-driven economy as a question of survival for the country.

Iqbal asked the ADB to help prepare a strategic roadmap for expanding and diversifying exports, pointing to the bank's earlier technical role in Vision 2010. He restated the government's target of turning Pakistan into a $1tr economy by 2035, saying Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is committed to removing structural bottlenecks and reforming key sectors. Reforms across industry, food security, commerce and foreign affairs were described as essential for sustainable, export-led growth.

Climate adaptation and water security were also discussed, with Iqbal urging the ADB to back local water storage, such as small dams and retention ponds, to capture rainwater from severe downpours. He also requested technical expertise for a sustainable tourism framework in Gilgit-Baltistan to protect fragile ecosystems as visitor numbers rise, while Yang reaffirmed the bank's support under the URAAN Pakistan framework. Yang also invited Iqbal to lead Pakistan's national delegation to the 25th CAREC Ministerial Conference in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on September 29-30, 2026, and the minister accepted.