Staff Reporter
Islamabad,: “Population growth is outpacing the development of the country, and we must address this issue urgently to secure our nation’s future. If we continue to neglect population planning, our development efforts will be futile. We need to prioritize population management as a national agenda by building a national consensus”, said Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiative Ahsan Iqbal while addressing the eleventh meeting of Parliamentary Forum on Population (PFP), organized by the Population Council with the support of United Nations Population Fund. He also emphasized on quality of human resources, not just their quantity, which determines a nation’s progress. “We must recognize that producing healthy and educated children is essential for competing in a global landscape; we cannot afford to raise a generation that is unhealthy and illiterate.” The Federal Minister assured parliamentarians that tax exemptions for contraceptives would be provided in the next fiscal year, acknowledging the importance of removing financial barriers to improve access to family planning services. He also emphasized the importance of women’s empowerment, noting that educated women are more likely to have a stronger voice in family decision-making.Chairperson of the Forum Senator Sherry Rehman, while addressing the Forum, said, “Population planning should be integrated into the broader health agenda, with media and parliamentarians playing vital roles in raising awareness”. She expressed the need for advocating policy changes and sharing best practices among stakeholders to strengthen collective efforts in population management”. She also emphasized the expansion and revitalization of LHWs programs across provinces which will enhance the reach and effectiveness of population management efforts. She also urged parliamentarians to lead public awareness campaigns by utilizing platforms like social media.The Parliamentary Forum on Population (PFP) was launched in March 2020, with the aim to raise parliamentary awareness on population management as a development imperative, sustain cross-party political commitment and advocate for population stabilization. The Forum has convened eleven meetings since its inception to advance the population agenda within the parliament and provincial assemblies.In her welcome remarks, Dr. Zeba Sathar, Country Director, Population Council, emphasized the critical role of parliamentarians in addressing population challenges. She called for their involvement in removing perverse incentives, such as revising the NFC formula, and highlighted their responsibility in ensuring the poor have access to family planning services through targeted subsidies and voucher programs. Dr. Sathar also underscored the importance of empowering women by expanding education and employment opportunities, noting that family planning not only enhances women’s health and wellbeing but also enables them to contribute more effectively to the nation’s economic growth and developmentAddressing the meeting, Dr. Farooq Sattar, Member of the National Assembly, called for a “Charter of Population” among the country’s top political leadership to prioritize the population issue and demonstrate strong political will. He emphasized that without unified political commitment, it would be difficult to allocate necessary funds or implement effective policies to address the population crisis. Dr. Sattar urged all political parties to come together on this critical matter, with national leaders taking the initiative to declare a population emergency.Addressing the parliamentarians, Jo Moir, Development Director of the British High Commission highlighted the support the United Kingdom was providing to Pakistan in health, education, and family planning. She said that Britain remains a trusted partner committed to Pakistan’s development.In his concluding remarks, Dr. Luay Shabaneh, Country Representative of UNFPA, emphasized that Pakistan requires bold reforms to address its rapid population growth. He urged parliamentarians to actively participate not only in legislation but also in ensuring its implementation.Parliamentarians voiced their deep concern over the alarmingly high population growth rate revealed by the 2023 Census. Representing all major political parties, the elected representatives stated unequivocally that, given our rapidly diminishing resources, we are heading toward a disastrous situation. They highlighted the depletion of water, food, and natural resources, warning that our ability to provide education, healthcare, and employment for a growing population is increasingly at risk. They committed to introducing resolutions in their assemblies to promote sustainable population growth, recognizing it as an urgent national priority. They stressed the need to address public misconceptions that impede the use of family health services and called on religious scholars to champion responsible parenthood. A nationwide campaign was urged to highlight the consensus among religious leaders on the permissibility of birth spacing in Islam, underscoring its importance for maternal health and family welfare. They also emphasized the need to integrate health and family planning service delivery to enhance access to family planning services. The parliamentarians also advocated for integrating family planning and population education into school curricula, improving girls’ education, removing taxes on contraceptives, addressing child marriage, and spearheading grassroots awareness initiatives through media and social platforms.
