Pakistan today is sinking into a dark hole, having to borrow money even to pay off the interest on loans taken, rather than the loan itself.

The key areas of focus of a different Pakistan should be the manufacture and export of high-tech, high value-added items, so that we can extricate ourselves from the growing debt snare in which we are trapped. This will require changing tracks and focusing on education, science, technology, and innovation with particular focus on social justice and inclusive socio-economic development.

Pakistan’s economic crisis is largely due to the myopic vision of our planners who should have single-mindedly focused on the manufacture and export of high-tech products such as engineering goods, pharmaceuticals, high-value software, automobiles, electronics, etc. Our export in these value-added sectors is a big fat zero. For this, the formulation and dynamic implementation of a farsighted action plan is necessary.

Pakistan undertook only one foresight-type exercise under my supervision during 2005/2006. The resulting 320-page document covering all important sectors of the national economy laid out 5-, 10- and 15-year strategies and plans for national development. It was approved by the cabinet in August 2007. An inter-ministerial committee was formed for its implementation, but it has since been gathering dust in government archives.

In today’s interconnected world, national development depends on the effective utilization of emerging technologies to address societal challenges, drive economic growth, and enhance global competitiveness.

‘Technology foresight’ exercises can serve as strategic tools that enable stakeholders to envision the potential trajectories of technological evolution and their ramifications on society and the economy. Technology foresight, a systematic approach to anticipating future technological trends and their implications, plays a pivotal role in guiding strategic decision-making and shaping socio-economic policies.

By enabling nations to anticipate disruptions, identify opportunities, and formulate........

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