Allama Muhammad Iqbal, poet-philosopher, jurist and one of the most original Muslim thinkers of the 20th century, remains an essential guide for nations seeking moral and economic renaissance. For Iqbal, progress was never just about material accumulation; it is the deployment of human potential and the strengthening of collective dignity. He saw poverty as much 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 economic treatise in Urdu, Iqbal argues that economic strength depends on intellectual courage and moral determination. He believed that the decline of nations began when they lost their capacity for inquiry and their belief in their own creative mission. More than a century later, the reckoning in Pakistan echoes this idea: our crisis is not only fiscal but civilizational.
Pakistan faces significant challenges: budgetary tensions, debt overhang, low productivity and institutional inertia. But the deeper challenge is a crisis of confidence: a collective loss of confidence in our own ability to act. We are a young nation – among the youngest in the world – with a youth cohort exceeding 140 million. However, too many of our young people are suspended between aspiration and disillusionment.
To move forward, we must reclaim what Iqbal calls “khudi”: a disciplined, responsible and creative individuality, 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 genius lies in his ability to engage 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 integrated them into a vision rooted in Islamic spirituality and human unity.
His approach offers a model for Pakistan today. We must neither lock ourselves into rigid traditions nor abandon ourselves to imported technocratic models. Instead, we must embrace a framework that is ethical, evidence-based, forward-looking and authentically ours. 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 carries an infinite creative spark – remains the foundation of an inclusive society. In a deeply diverse and plural Pakistan, unity must not erase differences; he must celebrate it. Development must touch everyone: every region, every class, every gender and every community. Justice is not a by-product of development; it’s his 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 targeted development paradigm. 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 young people with future skills, build a digital and innovation-driven economy, reform institutions for greater efficiency and empathy, strengthen public-private partnerships and anchor policy in equity, sustainability and inclusion. The central idea is simple but transformative: economic recovery must be closely linked to ethical renewal. Without moral purpose, development is directionless; without economic strength, the objective remains unachieved.
The symbol of Iqbal’s Shaheen holds 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, as well as freedom from fear and dependence. In Bal-e-Jibril, Iqbal writes: “You are a hawk; flight is your calling./Beyond the skies you see are skies yet unseen.”
For a country with one of the largest youth populations in the world, this is a call to spark imagination and ambition. Pakistan’s greatest asset is the youth bulge – provided they are equipped with knowledge, skills and purpose. If neglected, it becomes a source of frustration. Iqbal’s Shaheen does not seek comfort; he seeks height. He does not live on someone else’s mercy; he creates his 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 was determined by their capacity for knowledge. In his work “Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam,” he argues that Islam is inherently dynamic, rational and forward-looking. It encourages investigation, reflection and discovery. For Iqbal, revelation was not the end of thought; it was the start of an intellectual journey.
But he also deplores the decline of the scientific spirit in the Muslim world. In powerful verse, he captures a heavenly cry about the dulling of inquiry: “A cry descends from heaven at dawn:/How was your jewel of understanding lost?/How was your blade of inquiry dulled?/Why do you no longer pierce the hearts of the stars?” He continues: “You are destined to rule the inner and outer worlds./ How can a flame become the slave of dust?/ Why are the sun, the moon, and the stars not under your command?/ Why do the heavens no longer tremble under your gaze? He distills the civilizational renewal into a single verse: “A new world is born from new ideas./Bricks and stones alone do not build civilizations.”
URAAN Pakistan integrates this knowledge by investing in AI, biotechnology and advanced technologies; research universities and knowledge hubs; digital governance; STEM skills and innovation ecosystems; and creative industries and startups.
A nation that renews its spirit of inquiry renews its future. If investigation is Iqbal’s method, love for the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is his driving force. His intellectual courage, spiritual confidence, and civilizational imagination all flow from this foundation. Iqbal believed that loyalty to the Prophet (pbuh) is the gateway to human excellence, moral clarity and collective purpose.
He proclaims it with unparalleled devotion: “If you remain faithful to Mohammed [pbuh]then everything is yours./ What is this world before you? Even the tablet and the pen become yours.
This is not a poetic sentiment but Iqbal’s philosophy of empowerment. For him, the love of the Prophet (pbuh) is not a ritual attachment but an alignment with his values: justice, knowledge, compassion, courage and service. It is this alignment that liberates khudi, sharpens goals 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 occurs when religion loses its creative and ethical core. Iqbal-inspired governance therefore requires institutions that are flexible, evidence-based, citizen-centered and forward-looking.
The doctrine of khudi has profound economic implications. A nation that depends on borrowed ideas and confidence 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, encouraging talent and honoring merit.
Iqbal envisioned a moral state based on justice and compassion, not a theocracy, but an ethical polity. Pakistan must move from a control-based colonial administration to a performance-driven, technology-driven and citizen-centric state. This transformation requires transparent governance, merit-based institutions, data-driven planning, accountability with empowerment and policy continuity.
Ultimately, the true measure of Pakistan’s progress will not be determined by GDP alone. Nations rise through conviction, character and cohesion. Our path to renewal begins with the recovery of khudi, the revival of research, the adoption of the Shaheen spirit and the strength of the love of the Prophet (pbuh) which fueled the entire intellectual universe of Iqbal. Iqbal’s call echoes through time: Rise up. Act. Collect tomorrow.
The author is Federal Minister of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives. He tweets/posts @betterpakistan and can be contacted at: [email protected]
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policies of PK Press Club.tv.
Originally published in The News
