PSDE’s three-day “URAAN Pakistan: Growth Through Digital Transformation” starts from Tuesday

ISLAMABAD, Apr 10 : A three-day annual conference of the Pakistan Society of Development Economists (PSDE), organized by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) titled “URAAN Pakistan: Growth Through Digital Transformation,” would commence here on April 15 (Tuesday).
“As the digital era reshapes economies around the globe, Pakistan is envisioning a new growth trajectory built on innovation, inclusion and digital empowerment. This vision takes center stage at the conference,” PIDE said in a news release.
The 38th conference would bring together economists, technologists, policymakers, and global thought leaders to explore how Pakistan can harness digital transformation to unlock human potential, increase productivity and set course toward a trillion-dollar economy by 2035.
Rooted in a vision of reform and innovation, the conference builds on the continued efforts of Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal. His leadership has been instrumental in championing digital inclusion, knowledge-driven development, and institutional reform, principles that now form the backbone of the URAAN framework.
Speaking on the urgency of the moment, PIDE Vice Chancellor of PIDE and President of PSDE Dr Nadeem Javaid emphasized that Pakistan stood at a critical inflection point.
“Once, the symbol of progress was the rising chimney of a factory. Today, it’s a glowing screen in the palm of a dreamer. With just a smartphone, a data signal, and an idea, the world opens up,and so does Pakistan’s future,” he said.
“Digital transformation is no longer a choice, it’s the runway from where Pakistan must take off. URAAN Pakistan is our call to lift off,to imagine a country where a coder in Gilgit, an entrepreneur in Layyah, and a data scientist in Karachi aren’t working in silos, but shaping the same digital destiny. At the 38th PSDE Conference, we are not just exploring digital tools. We are charting a bold new development story, one that begins with connectivity and ends with opportunity for all,” Nadeem said.
Key highlights of the conference include keynote addresses from three globally renowned speakers—Nobel Laureates Michael Spence, Pier Paolo Saviotti and Muhammad J. Sear, whose insights would lend international perspective to Pakistan’s digital ambitions.
Over three days, the event would host six high-level panel discussions featuring both national and international leaders, along with the presentation of 45 technical papers addressing critical areas of digital development, economics, and inclusive policy design.
The conference is structured around three main objectives. First, accelerating digital transformation by exploring policies to digitize governance, enable smart infrastructure, and grow Pakistan’s digital economy.
Second, adapting global insights to the local context, particularly in areas such as AI-based innovation, digital public goods, and data governance.
Finally, the conference places a strong emphasis on inclusive growth, advocating for youth, women, and underserved communities to be at the core of Pakistan’s digital future, ensuring no one is left behind.
With the URAAN agenda gaining national momentum, the PSDE conference is not just a forum for ideas but a platform for mobilizing real, actionable change.