Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal stressed the urgent need to address Pakistan’s rapid population growth.
The minister spoke on this issue while addressing the 11th meeting of Parliamentary Forum on Population (PFP). The Population Council with the assistance of United Nations Population Fund organised the event.
Ahsan emphasized that development efforts will bear not fruit without proper population planning. He called for making population management a national priority through consensus-building.
Minister highlighted the importance of focusing on the quality, not just the quantity, of human resources.
He assured that contraceptives would receive tax exemptions in the next fiscal year, aiming to improve access to family planning services.
He highlighted the need for women empowerment and education, saying women education is crucial for their greater role in decision-making.
Senator Sherry Rehman also spoke on occasion, urging the need for including population control strategies in health sector key agenda. For this, she said, the forum should advocate for policy changes. Senator Rahman called for enhancement of the Lady Health Workers (LHWs) programs across provinces.
Country director of the Population Council Dr. Zeba Sathar called on parliamentarians to ensure family planning services for the poor. She said that authorities should promote women’s education and employment to boost economic growth.
MQM MNA Dr. Farooq Sattar proposed a ‘Charter of Population’ among political leaders to declare a population emergency. He stressed on the point that there is a need of strong political will to address the crisis.
Jo Moir from the British High Commission reaffirmed the UK’s support for Pakistan’s health and family planning sectors.
UNFPA’s Dr. Luay Shabaneh called for instant reforms to manage the high population growth rate.
Other than this lawmakers from all major parties expressed deep concern over the alarming population increase. They warned that Pakistan is heading toward a critical situation due to shrinking resources and increasing population.
