Allama Muhammad Iqbal, poet, philosopher, jurist and one of the most original Muslim thinkers of the 20th century, remains a leading guide for nations seeking moral and economic renaissance. For Iqbal, progress was never a matter of material accumulation alone; It was the development of human potential and the strengthening of collective dignity. He saw poverty as more than economic deprivation; he saw it as a condition that corrodes the self, suppresses creativity, and weakens the spirit.
In ‘Ilmul Iqtisad’, his first Urdu treatise on economics, Iqbal argues that economic strength depends on intellectual courage and moral purpose. He believed that the decline of nations begins when they lose their capacity for research and their faith in their own creative mission. More than a century later, Pakistan’s moment of reckoning echoes this idea: our crisis is not just fiscal but civilizational.
Pakistan faces significant challenges: fiscal stress, debt overhang, low productivity and institutional inertia. The deeper challenge, however, is a crisis of confidence: a collective loss of faith in our own agency. We are a young nation – one of the youngest in the world – with a youth cohort that exceeds 140 million. Yet many of our young people remain suspended between aspiration and disillusionment.
To move forward, we must reclaim what Iqbal called ‘khudi’: a disciplined, responsible and creative identity driven by purpose and rooted in moral autonomy. Khudi is not selfishness; It is self-respect and self-transformation. It is the belief that human beings have the power to reshape their destiny through effort, courage and conviction.
Iqbal’s intellectual brilliance lies in his ability to interact with the modern world without losing his identity. His dialogue with Kant taught him moral autonomy; with Nietzsche, the courage to affirm life; with Bergson, the idea of creative evolution. But Iqbal did not imitate these thinkers: he challenged them, absorbed them and wove them into a vision anchored in Islamic spirituality and human unity.
His approach offers a model for today’s Pakistan. We must not freeze in rigid traditions or surrender to imported technocratic models. Instead, we must adopt a framework that is ethical, evidence-based, future-oriented, and authentically our own. This intellectual courage is essential as Pakistan navigates a world shaped by disruptive technologies, shifting geopolitics and rapid social change.
Our challenge is not only economic; it is about the moral energy with which this young nation defines its purpose. Iqbal’s universal humanism – his belief that each individual possesses an infinite creative spark – remains the foundation of an inclusive society. In a deeply diverse and plural Pakistan, unity must not erase differences; you should celebrate it. Development must reach everyone: all regions, all classes, all genders and all communities. Justice is not a by-product of development; It is your moral compass.
It is on this ethical basis that URAAN Pakistan was conceived. URAAN is not a slogan or a list of projects: it is a paradigm for purposeful development. It starts with people, not infrastructure. It recognizes that the true measure of progress is the expansion of the moral and material capabilities of citizens.
URAAN aims to equip youth with future skills, build a digital and innovation-driven economy, reform institutions for efficiency and empathy, strengthen public-private partnerships and anchor policies in equity, sustainability and inclusion. The central idea is simple but transformative: economic reactivation must be intertwined with ethical renewal. Without a moral purpose, development is directionless; Without economic strength, the purpose remains unfulfilled.
The symbol of Iqbal’s Shaheen has a special power for Pakistan today. The Shaheen is not simply a poetic creature; It is an educational ideal and a model of national character. It represents independence of thought, strength of will, passion for discovery, discipline and dignity, and freedom from fear and dependence. In Bal-e-Jibril, Iqbal writes: “You are a falcon; flying is your calling./Beyond the skies you see skies that have not yet been seen.”
For a country with one of the largest young populations in the world, this is a call to awaken imagination and ambition. The large number of youth is Pakistan’s greatest asset, if they are equipped with knowledge, skills and purpose. If neglected, it becomes a source of frustration. Iqbal’s Shaheen does not seek comfort; look for height. He does not live on the mercy of others; create your own world. This is the ethos our youth must adopt if Pakistan is to compete in a knowledge-driven century.
Iqbal believed that the destiny of nations is determined by their capacity for knowledge. In his “Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam”, he argued that Islam is inherently dynamic, rational and future-oriented. Encourages inquiry, reflection and discovery. For Iqbal, revelation was not the end of thought; It was the beginning of an intellectual journey.
But he also lamented the decline of the scientific spirit in the Muslim world. In powerful verses, he captures a heavenly cry about the dullness of inquiry: “A cry descends from the heavens at dawn:/How was your jewel of understanding lost?/How was your sword of inquiry dulled?/Why do you no longer pierce the hearts of the stars?” He continues: “You are destined to manage the inner and outer worlds./How can a flame become a slave to dust?/Why are the sun, moon and stars not under your command?/Why do the heavens no longer tremble before your gaze?” He distills the renewal of civilization into one verse: “A new world is born of new ideas./Bricks and stones alone do not build civilizations.”
URAAN Pakistan integrates this vision by investing in artificial intelligence, biotechnology and cutting-edge technologies; research universities and knowledge groups; digital governance; STEM skills and innovation ecosystems; and creative industries and startups.
A nation that renews its spirit of research renews its future. If research is Iqbal’s method, love for Prophet Muhammad (saw) is his driving force. Their intellectual courage, their spiritual confidence, and their civilizing imagination spring from this foundation. Iqbal believed that fidelity to the Prophet (S) is the gateway to human excellence, moral clarity and collective purpose.
He proclaims it with incomparable devotion: “If you remain faithful to Muhammad [pbuh]then everything is yours./ What is this world before you? Even the Tablet and Pen become yours.”
This is not a poetic sentiment but Iqbal’s philosophy of empowerment. For him, love for the Prophet (S) is not a ritual attachment but an alignment with his values: justice, knowledge, compassion, courage and service. It is this alignment that unleashes khudi, sharpens purpose and gives nations the moral energy to rise.
Iqbal’s ‘Reconstruction’ calls for reopening the doors of ijtihad, integrating scientific reasoning with spiritual values, aligning faith with progress and justice, and building an ethical and future-ready society. He believed that stagnation arises when religion loses its ethical and creative core. Therefore, Iqbal-inspired governance calls for flexible, evidence-based, citizen-centric and future-oriented institutions.
The doctrine of khudi has profound economic implications. A nation that depends on borrowed ideas and trust cannot rise with dignity. Economic sovereignty begins with intellectual sovereignty: with the belief that we can think, innovate and build for ourselves. URAAN Pakistan aims to build this ecosystem by rewarding initiative, nurturing talent and honoring merit.
Iqbal envisioned a moral state based on justice and compassion, not a theocracy, but an ethical politics. Pakistan must move from a control-based colonial administration to a citizen-centric, performance-driven and technology-based state. This transformation requires transparent governance, merit-based institutions, data-driven planning, empowered accountability and policy continuity.
Ultimately, the true measure of Pakistan’s progress will not be determined by GDP alone. Nations grow through conviction, character and cohesion. Our path to renewal begins with reclaiming the khudi, reviving research, embracing the Shaheen spirit and drawing strength from the love of the Prophet (S) that fueled the entire intellectual universe of Iqbal. Iqbal’s call echoes through time: Arise. Act. Claim tomorrow.
The author is the Federal Minister of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives. He tweets/posts @betterpakistan and can be reached at: [email protected]
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of PakGazette.tv.
Originally published in The News
