Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal Leads National Dialogue on Pakistan’s Creative Future URAAN PAKISTAN CONFERENCE 2025

 

Prof. Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary, the Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, delivered a keynote address and led pivotal dialogue at the opening session of Dialogue on Uraan Pakistan Creative Industry & Culture Economy Conference, held at the Marriott Hotel, Karachi. The grand event brought together media and entertainment industry, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and cultural leaders to reimagine the role of creativity and culture in Pakistan’s economic development.

In his address, the Chief Guest Prof. Ahsan Iqbal emphasized the government’s commitment to fostering a thriving creative economy by celebrating the creative pulse of Pakistan and highlighted the integral role of cultural industries in shaping a progressive national identity. He outlined the strategic importance of harnessing the potential of creative sectors, including film & TV, fashion, music, design, and digital media to create jobs, drive innovation, and promote Pakistan’s rich heritage on the global platform.

The opening session of Dialogue on Uraan Pakistan Creative Industry & Culture Economy Conference featured a FireSide Panel discussion with actors Ahsan Khan, Adnan Siddiqui & Saba Hamid, producer Abdullah Seja, musician & singer Azaan Sami Khan, fashion designer Rizwan Beyg, fashion journalist Maliha Rehman, influencer & digital entrepreneur Faisal Kapadia, along with Mahtab Rashdi for culture and Dr. Arfa Zehra for literature.

“The creative industry and culture economy are not just mediums of entertainment, they are strategic assets of power, of identity, of economics. They shape how the world sees us and how we see ourselves. With the Pakistani drama industry as one of our most successful cultural exports, our government is fully committed to supporting the creative industry as a key sector of economic and cultural development. Under the ‘Uraan Pakistan’ initiative, we have identified priority sectors for export growth, at the forefront of which is the creative and cultural industries, and we aim to make them one of the pillars of our economy. So let us tell stories that reflect our values, our resilience, and our potential. And let us take those stories to every screen in the world. This is not just entertainment; it is the story of Pakistan. Let’s write it together”, expressed the esteemed Prof. Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary while speaking on the occasion.

The opening session of Dialogue on Uraan Pakistan Creative Industry & Culture Economy Conference was preceded by the Federal Minister Planning’s visit to FG Public School Karachi for youth engagement, followed by a Round Table Discussion with Film & Drama Sector, following which was a press talk at the Karachi Press Club.

The Uraan Pakistan Conference aims to cultivate The Power of Creative Pakistan and serves as a platform to catalyze dialogue and collaboration among stakeholders from across the country. Panels and sessions throughout the day focused on policy frameworks, creative entrepreneurship, digital transformation, and public engagement, with a strong emphasis on regional inclusion.

Prof. Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary’s presence at the conference reaffirms the government’s recognition of the arts and culture as strategic assets in national development. His leadership is driving a new narrative: Made in Pakistan Vision, which places creativity at the heart of Pakistan’s socio-economic future.

A series of roundtables are being organized under Uraan Pakistan on the different sectors of creative industry and culture economy - music, literature, academia, digital, influencing, culture and heritage and design, art and craft, fashion, as part of the strategic growth plan for the sector.