BY KHADIJA NAVEED ELLAHI
According to the latest digital census conducted by Bureau of Statistics in 2023, the population of Pakistan is 241.49 million, with an annual growth rate of 2. 55 percent which makes it the fifth most populous country in the world.
This alarming increase in population growth poses serious risks to internal security. Moreover, a recent study jointly undertaken by several international organizations including WHO found that women in Pakistan have an estimated 3.8 million unintended pregnancies, resulting from unmet need for modern contraception.
Inadequate investment, poor economic growth, and the perception that birth control is un-Islamic has further aggravated the issue.
Significantly, 63% of Pakistan’s population comprises of youth aged between 15 and 33 with limited opportunities to achieve their potential. With an unemployment rate of 8.5 percent, the highest in the region, dissatisfaction amongst the youth is brewing, paving way for extremism and terrorism.
Instead of harnessing their potential such youth have become a liability, imposing a great burden on scarce economic resources, as we have not been able to harness such opportunity owing to lack of vocational and education training, non-availability of employment opportunities, under nourishment, malnutrition and stunted mental and physical growth.
The massive increase in population in Pakistan is also directly contributing to climate change, causing devastating effects, some of which are deforestation, increased pollution through dependence on fossil fuels, filling our dumps with plastic, migration from rural areas to cities, water scarcity, carbon emissions etc. Hence the effects of climate change are compressing already meagre resources.
Taking cognizance of the gravity of the situation a comprehensive population policy was launched in July 2002 by the government of Gen Parvez Musharraf on 11th July world population day with a vision to achieve population stabilization by 2020 through expeditious completion of demographic transition which entailed a decline in both fertility and mortality rates. This policy identified key issues and challenges which highlighted the following:
Insufficient service delivery infrastructure. Overwhelming dependence on Federal PSDP Allocation (public Sector Development Program) owing to lack of ownership and commitment by the Provinces.
Low coverage and insufficient service delivery owing to lack of essential infrastructure and trained service providers. Weak, inadequate and irregular monitoring and evaluation system.
The 2002 comprehensive Policy and Plan also highlighted certain strategies, interventions and goals to achieve the desired targets, however, this plan also failed to address the challenge at hand owing to lack of implementation, unavailability of desired resources, lack of political will and the non-committal attitude of successive governments.
There is a dire and urgent need to defuse this ticking bomb by according top priority to the issue at hand and making dedicated efforts for implementation of family planning plans and policies which are gathering dust in the Ministry of Planning and Development.
People at large should be educated about family planning through widespread use of print, electronic and social media and topics relating to population growth and family planning should be made an integral part of high school and college curricula.
Lessons may be imbibed from the policies introduced in Bangladesh, Iran and Indonesia where, due to better reproductive health services system, there has been a perceptible decrease in fertility rates.
It may also be highlighted that consequent to the devolution of the country’s health and population services and programs to the provinces under the 18th Amendment the interest and ownership of the Federal government is gradually diminishing.
In order to effectively combat the scourge of population explosion the media has to play a vital role in education and awareness of the masses at large. Moreover, religious leaders can also play a proactive role in this respect.
For example, in Iran the spiritual leader Ayatollah Khomeini issued a Fatwa in support of contraceptive use soon after the Islamic Revolution. In order to effectively combat the scourge of population explosion the issue has to be accorded top priority, a multi-pronged approach has to be adopted in order to address various facets of the issue and last but not the least continuity of policies at least over the short to medium term should be ensured to make a perceptible impact.
(The writer is a student of Grade 12 in Beaconhouse School in Islamabad.)
Also Read: Melting Glaciers and Water Scarcity in Pakistan: A Looming Crisis
