The Prime Minister calls on stakeholders to recognize the urgency of population growth, promote sustainable development

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged all stakeholders, including the federal and provincial governments, members of parliament, development partners, civil society, academia, the private sector, religious scholars, the media and local communities, to recognize the urgency of population growth as a national issue and fulfill their collective responsibility by promoting responsible informed decision-making, mutual development and sustainable parenting quality.

The Prime Minister said in his message on World Population Day that the day provided an important opportunity to highlight the importance of population issues at the global level.

He added that this year’s theme, “Realizing the hopes and aspirations of the youth, today and for the future,” emphasizes the central role of the youth in shaping a prosperous future. Creating an enabling environment for the younger generation is our collective responsibility.

“Today, Pakistan joins the international community in observing World Population Day and reaffirms its commitment to responsible population planning as a cornerstone of sustainable development and national prosperity,” Prime Minister Shehbaz wrote.

Responsible and prudent population planning and management, he said, forms the basis of a welfare-oriented society, adding that a population that remained in proportion to available resources ensured equal access to public services and contributed to the welfare and prosperity of all citizens.

“Pakistan is the fifth most populous country in the world and ranks among the countries with a significant youth population. More than 65% of our population is below the age of 30, this undoubtedly represents a huge national asset and a strong driver of economic and social progress,” said Prime Minister Shehbaz.

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He added that annual population growth of 2.55% poses significant challenges to a country in terms of economic planning, employment generation, education, healthcare, housing, food security, infrastructure development and environmental sustainability.

According to Prime Minister Shehbaz, sustained investment in our national resources and a comprehensive strategy are indispensable to fully harness the demographic potential of our youth and realize the benefits of this demographic dividend.

Human development and the ultimate nurturing of human capabilities must remain at the heart of our national development agenda, he said.

The Prime Minister highlighted that the Federal Government recently established the National Population Council to formulate a comprehensive and effective national strategy for population and development.

This high-level national forum, he said, would ensure policy coordination between the federal and provincial governments, strengthen institutional cooperation and provide strategic policy guidance for the implementation of the National Population Programme.

It will also facilitate timely and effective decision-making in line with national priorities.

“Furthermore, the council will give due priority to mainstreaming population-related issues into the national development agenda, promoting women’s empowerment, promoting human resource development and formulating evidence-based policies that support long-term social and economic prosperity,” he said.

To achieve the overall objective of developing capable, responsible and empowered citizens, the government is also implementing the Prime Minister’s Youth Program and several other important national initiatives, PM Shehbaz added.

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The Prime Minister emphasized that every citizen, regardless of race, ethnicity or background, especially the most vulnerable sections of society, deserved equal access to essential services and due consideration in future planning.

Education, healthcare, financial inclusion and equal opportunities for women and girls remain among the government’s top priorities, he said.

“Insha’Allah! Through collective determination and coordinated action, we can create an environment where all citizens enjoy equal opportunities to live a healthy, dignified and productive life,” assured the Prime Minister.

He concluded: “Together we can transform Pakistan’s demographic potential into sustained national strength and ensure a stable, prosperous, developed and resilient future for both our current and future generations.”

According to a report released in May, Pakistan’s population could explode to 390 million over the next 25 years, marking an increase of 62%, of which 256 million people will be in the market looking for jobs, more than the existing total population.

Even with the use of contraceptive methods to control the population, the population is expected to increase to over 383 million, or 59%, by 2050, according to the Population Projections report 2023-50, launched by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal. The report has been prepared in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).