By: Masood Ahmed Siddiqui
The first Pakistan Economic Summit, jointly organized in Islamabad by the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and the United Business Group (UBG), proved to be more than merely a business event; it marked the beginning of a serious dialogue on the country’s economic, administrative and political structure. The summit not only brought the business community together on one platform but also highlighted fundamental national issues that have been debated for years, with little practical progress.
UBG Patron-in-Chief S.M. Tanveer, former Federal Minister Gohar Ejaz and FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh played a central role in organizing the summit. At a time when Pakistan’s economy is facing challenges such as high interest rates, the energy crisis, rising debt, stagnant exports and declining investment, the holding of such a conference is certainly a welcome development.
S.M. Tanveer is not a new name for Pakistan’s business community. His late father, S.M. Munir (Bhai Jan), spent his entire life struggling for the rights of the business community and the improvement of the national economy. Carrying forward the same mission, S.M. Tanveer demonstrated through the organization of the first national Economic Summit that the business community is not merely interested in highlighting its own problems but also wants to play an effective role in national policymaking.
Industrialists, exporters, traders, representatives of chambers of commerce, women entrepreneurs and young entrepreneurs from across the country participated in the summit. Among them were UBG President Zubair Tufail, Secretary General Zafar Bakhtawari, Khalid Tawab, Hanif Gohar, Ghazanfar Bilour, Mian Zahid Hussain, Saqib Fayyaz Magoon, Qurrat-ul-Ain, Asif Sakhi, Zaki Ejaz, Malik Khuda Baksh, Shabnam Zafar, Naheed Masood, Dr. Shehla Javed Akram, Samina Fazil, Fawad Mukhtar, Mian Amir Mahmood, Engineer Daroo Khan Achakzai, Haji Afzal and other prominent personalities. Most of them expressed their views on various economic and administrative issues.
However, the speech by Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi attracted the greatest attention at the conference. He openly criticized Pakistan’s existing administrative system, saying that the current system had lost its effectiveness and that if immediate reforms were not introduced, growing frustration among the youth could lead to a major crisis. Although his “cockroach” analogy became a subject of discussion on social media, the real message of his speech was the need for administrative reforms, timely justice, employment opportunities and improved governance.
Mohsin Naqvi stressed the need for new administrative units or new provinces, saying that unless powers were devolved to the grassroots level, the problems of the people could not be resolved. According to him, Pakistan’s existing provincial structure is inadequate in view of its population and administrative requirements. Therefore, new administrative units are essential to provide better public services.
It is also a fact that in developed countries, administrative units are created to facilitate the people and ensure effective governance rather than to serve political interests. In Pakistan too, the growing population, urban expansion and regional requirements demand a review of the administrative structure. However, national consensus, constitutional requirements and political harmony cannot be ignored on such a sensitive issue.
S.M. Tanveer also presented several important proposals at the summit. He said that if the business community were given effective representation in Parliament, it would be possible to increase Pakistan’s exports from $100 billion to $200 billion. He proposed that specific seats for the business community should be allocated from each province and that overseas Pakistanis should also be given parliamentary representation. He argued that businesspeople are well aware of ground realities and can therefore play a more effective role in economic legislation.
Mohsin Naqvi’s Speech: Beginning of a National Debate on Administrative Reforms
The most widely discussed speech at the Economic Summit was delivered by Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who, departing from conventional economic discourse, highlighted weaknesses in Pakistan’s administrative and political system. He said that the outdated administrative structure was the fundamental cause of most of the problems facing the country, as powers had not been effectively devolved to the grassroots level. He stated clearly that if the state failed to address the growing frustration among young people and their basic demands for justice, merit and employment in a timely manner, the situation could become even more complicated.
Referring to young people through the term “cockroach,” Mohsin Naqvi said that if these frustrated young people became organized, they could shake the existing system. His fundamental message was that the anger and frustration of the youth should not be dealt with through force but should instead be channelled positively through better governance, transparent justice, employment opportunities and merit.
The Federal Interior Minister said that Pakistan’s current administrative system had lost its effectiveness and that a structure dating back seven decades was no longer capable of meeting today’s requirements. According to him, administrative systems in various democratic countries have evolved over time, whereas Pakistan continues to operate under the same old model. He said democracy was not merely about elections; effective delivery of services, justice and devolution of authority to the people are also the essence of democracy.
Mohsin Naqvi described the creation of new administrative units or new provinces as an important means of addressing the problem. According to him, unless powers are devolved to the grassroots, new leadership emerges and decisions are made at the local level, public problems will continue to persist. He stressed that all political parties must rise above their political priorities, sit together and develop a consensus-based roadmap for the future of the country.
He also held up a mirror to the business community, saying that Pakistan’s traders and industrialists become part of the political system but mostly remain behind the scenes, limiting their role to financially supporting political parties. He said that if the business community genuinely wanted changes in policymaking, it would have to play a more direct and active role in national politics and legislation.
The Federal Minister also drew attention to the judicial system, saying that despite the establishment of new courts, the common man still does not receive justice in a timely manner. He said that young people essentially want three things: justice, merit and dignified employment. If the state succeeds in providing these basic rights, social frustration can be significantly reduced.
A Thought-Provoking Proposal, but National Consensus is Essential
Although Mohsin Naqvi’s speech triggered a new national debate regarding new provinces and administrative units, the constitutional, political and social dimensions of the issue cannot be ignored. The creation of new provinces is not merely an administrative decision; it is a constitutional process requiring approval from the relevant provincial assembly and Parliament. Therefore, all political forces, constitutional experts, provinces and the public must be taken into confidence on this sensitive issue so that any decision strengthens national unity and the federation rather than creating new conflicts.
S.M. Tanveer’s Highly Thought-Provoking and Positive Proposals
Speaking about the energy sector, S.M. Tanveer said that as a result of the business community’s continuous efforts, the price of electricity had declined from 17 cents per unit to approximately 12 cents. However, if a genuine increase in exports is desired, electricity prices must be reduced further and brought at par with those in regional countries. His position is based on economic realities because the competitiveness of Pakistani products in international markets depends heavily on production costs.
He also raised another important point, saying that Pakistan’s 170 districts possess enormous economic potential. If every district focuses on a specific industry or export sector, exports worth up to $1 billion could potentially be generated from each district. This concept could become an effective national strategy along the lines of “One District, One Export Product.”
FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh appreciated the government’s economic policies and said that economic stability was restoring investor confidence. He said that FPCCI had always adopted a policy of positive dialogue with the government rather than confrontation so that the problems of the business community could be resolved.
At the summit, Mian Amir Mahmood also raised an important point, saying that the gap between the government and the people was widening. According to him, smaller administrative units could prove more effective in resolving public problems because local leadership is more familiar with the issues of its own area.
In the same context, renowned lawyer Ahsan Bhoon explained the constitutional aspects, saying that the creation of new provinces is possible under the Constitution of Pakistan; however, it would require a two-thirds majority in the relevant provincial assembly followed by approval from Parliament. His explanation provided a legal perspective to the debate.
One of the major achievements of the Economic Summit was that it did not limit the business community’s discussion to economic issues alone. It also brought important national subjects such as administrative reforms, governance, the judicial system, employment, education and the future of the youth under discussion.
However, the key question now is whether these proposals will remain confined to the conference hall or be translated into practical measures. Pakistan has witnessed numerous economic conferences and seminars in the past, but implementation of their recommendations has generally remained limited. This time, there is a need for the federal government, Parliament, FPCCI, UBG and other relevant institutions to work together to formulate an actionable roadmap.
Key Recommendations
· A permanent National Economic Reforms Council, headed by the Prime Minister, should be established to oversee implementation of the Economic Summit’s recommendations.
· The economic potential of every district should be assessed and a “One District, One Export Product” initiative should be launched.
· Electricity and gas tariffs for industries should be brought at par with those of other countries in the region to make an increase in exports possible.
· The business community, economists and the private sector should be given a formal consultative role in economic legislation.
· A national dialogue should be initiated among political parties, constitutional experts and the provinces on administrative reforms to develop consensus.
· Merit-based employment, technical training and business loan programmes for young people should be expanded to reduce unemployment.
· Judicial reforms, simplification of the tax system and investor-friendly policies should be prioritized to increase domestic and foreign investment.
Pakistan currently stands at a critical economic crossroads. If the government, political leadership, business community and state institutions move forward with a shared vision, the country can not only overcome the economic crisis but also become one of the stronger economies in the region. The first Economic Summit has provided a positive beginning; the real test now is to translate these proposals into practical action. This is the path that can lead Pakistan towards sustainable development, a stronger economy and a prosperous future.
