PIDE, Tsinghua University explore bold economic fix for Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Mar 21 (APP):: Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) held a meeting with Professor David Daokui Li, Mansfield Freeman Chair Professor at Tsinghua University of China, to deliberate on Pakistan’s economic challenges and explore areas for strategic collaboration.
The PIDE delegation was led by Registrar Dr Nasir Iqbal, and included Chief of Research Dr Shujaat Farooq, Senior Research Economists Dr Usman Qadir, Afia Malik and Dr Mehmood Khalid, and Research Fellows Dr Muhammad Zeshan and Dr Muhammad Faisal, a news release said on Friday.
During the meeting, Dr Nasir Iqbal presented the Pakistan’s flagship initiative, the 5E National Economic Transformation Plan, which focused on five key pillars: Exports, E-Pakistan (digital transformation), Environment & Climate Change, Energy & Infrastructure, and Equity & Empowerment.
These components together outline a roadmap for inclusive and sustainable development in Pakistan.
Professor Li engaged the team in a wide-ranging discussion on Pakistan’s macroeconomic growth trajectory, fiscal imbalances, energy challenges, trade relations and the ongoing IMF program.
The PIDE team emphasized that low productivity remained a critical constraint to Pakistan’s economic development.
Dr Nasir highlighted that addressing this issue through targeted technology transfer and capacity-building is essential for future growth.
He said engagement with China offered a strategic opportunity to overcome these constraints through mutual cooperation.
In response to Professor Li’s queries regarding short-term interventions to uplift Pakistan, the PIDE team proposed a sectoral agenda.
The agenda included the auto industry (leveraging Chinese expertise to enhance production and technology), renewable energy (particularly solar), industrial development (expanding local manufacturing), agriculture (modern machinery and practices), the power sector (improved infrastructure and distribution), trade and connectivity, and the establishment of joint research and development centers.
During the meeting, a shared vision emerged around developing an indigenous economic model for Pakistan that integrates social capital, equitable development, and digital transformation, especially under the E-Pakistan initiative.
Professor Li expressed strong support for this approach and acknowledged the relevance of the 5E framework.
Dr Nasir Iqbal invited Professor Li to participate in the upcoming PIDE Conference, which is aligned with the vision of E-Pakistan.
Professor Li showed keen interest in attending and contributing to the event, recognizing its importance in fostering intellectual and policy-level exchange between the two countries.