CJ calls for awareness campaign on population control

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan was informed on Thursday that the Council of Common Interests (CCI) has approved a policy, outlining strategy to control rising population growth rate in the country, reported a private news channel.

Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar was hearing proceeding of the case after he returned to the country earlier in the day. “Additional attorney general has ordered formation of respective task forces at provincial level with an aim to take measures for containing burgeoning population”, the court was told.

He said a grand symposium was being organised in Islamabad on Dec 5 in this regard. The chief justice said that a full-fledged campaign be launched countrywide to raise awareness among people regarding bulging population. The hearing of the case was adjourned till December 13. On November 20, the Centre and the provinces decided to form task forces within their jurisdictions to control rapid population growth. The task force is headed by the prime minister at the national level and by the respective chief ministers at the provincial levels. While taking suo motu notice of the unchecked population growth in the country, the Supreme Court in June said the formulated policy would then be referred to the government that would take charge after the July 25 election for its consideration and implementation.

The apex court, the same month, had constituted a committee to formulate a uniform policy to defuse the population bomb. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar had directed to hold seminars, conduct research and study examples of other countries, which tackled the growing population issue, and asked the committee submit a working paper within 15 days. The CJ had also expressed that every child born was indebted as they carried a huge loan on their shoulders.