Professor Ahsan Iqbal, the federal minister for planning, development, and special initiatives, reaffirmed on Tuesday that maintaining political stability and implementing ongoing programmes were necessary to steer the nation towards stability and progress. Speaking at a news conference shortly after taking on the role of federal minister, he bemoaned the nation’s history of political and policy changes, which he said had impeded the nation’s capacity to advance sustainably. Drawing from a range of nations, such as Korea, Bangladesh, China, India, and Turkey, the minister asserted that political stability and consistent policies were necessary for any nation to succeed. According to him, Pakistan’s past 50 years of political unrest have hindered the execution and advancement of development initiatives such as Vision 2010, Vision 2025, and other five-year plans.