ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif identified the country’s accelerating population growth as a critical obstacle to national progress, emphasizing that sustainable development hinges on balancing population size with available resources.
During a review meeting focused on population welfare, the prime minister directed the swift reorganization and activation of the National Population Council (NPC) to integrate demographic strategies with broader economic stabilization plans.
He stressed that maintaining equilibrium between resources and population is essential for long-term development. The expanding population, he noted, exerts substantial pressure on national assets and impedes economic advancement and human capital growth.
In a significant development, PM Shehbaz Sharif will chair the revamped NPC, which will also comprise the chief ministers of Pakistan’s four provinces, the prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, and other key government representatives. The Ministry of Planning and Development will act as the council’s permanent secretariat.
Officials presented proposed reforms to federal welfare policies, highlighting that social safety nets and financial aid programs will now be directly tied to family planning achievements.
Moreover, the strategy will prioritize female literacy and economic empowerment as foundational elements of population control, supported by vigorous public awareness campaigns.
Officials referenced successful demographic management frameworks from Muslim-majority nations such as Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Iran as practical models for Pakistan’s implementation.
The meeting was attended by Chief of Defence Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, among others.
