Ahsan Iqbal Warns Global Conflicts Drive Up Fertilizer Prices for Pakistani Farmers
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal says wars and geopolitical tensions far from Pakistan's borders are raising fertilizer costs and food expenses at home, urging stronger institutions and long-term planning to absorb external shocks.
Federal Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has warned that wars and geopolitical conflicts thousands of miles from Pakistan can push up fertilizer prices for local farmers, linking distant instability directly to household costs and agricultural production at home.
Speaking as chief guest at the 29th Sustainable Development Conference and 4th Sustainability Investment Expo in Islamabad on November 2, the minister said disruptions to global energy markets, food security and supply chains carry direct consequences for Pakistani households and growers. The event was organized by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) at Allama Iqbal Open University.
Iqbal pointed to the Russia-Ukraine war as an example of how international conflicts ripple through energy markets, food security, trade and global supply chains, noting that countries far from conflict zones are also feeling the effects. He said global developments are increasingly shaping household finances and living costs, with international conflicts capable of making fertilizer and food more expensive for Pakistani families.
The minister argued that sustained development policies, stronger institutions and long-term economic planning are essential for Pakistan to withstand external shocks. He said developing economies must diversify both exports and international partnerships, strengthen technological capabilities and expand regional connectivity to stay competitive as global supply chains are reorganized around strategic and political priorities rather than cost and efficiency alone.
Iqbal said countries must either prepare for emerging challenges and turn them into opportunities or risk facing the consequences without adequate safeguards. He highlighted Pakistan's efforts to build technological capacity through national centers of excellence in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, big data and cloud computing, aimed at equipping young people with the skills needed to compete in the global economy.
The remarks underscore growing official concern that geopolitical tensions, climate change and rapid technological change are converging to reshape Pakistan's economic outlook, making resilience and diversification central to the country's planning priorities.
