The Uraan Pakistan seems more like a wish list than a practical roadmap, listing ambitious growth targets without detailing how to achieve them. This is not the first time such lofty plans have been introduced. In 2010 and again in 2015, similar aspirations were announced, with exports expected to reach $150 billion by 2025.

Now, the aim is to transform Pakistan into a $3 trillion economy by 2047. As the saying goes, if wishes were horses, beggars would ride.

Yet, beggars cannot be choosers. The critical question remains: how can Pakistan reconcile the Uraan goals with the constraints of the IMF framework? Skepticism is already brewing among experts in DC about Pakistan’s ability to stay within the IMF programme without adhering to its stringent benchmarks—especially as global economic dynamics have shifted. While the IMF has shown some leniency recently, this cannot be counted on indefinitely.

The Uraan document, prepared by the Planning Commission, appears disconnected from earlier homegrown strategies........

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