ISLAMABAD: Lawmakers from across Pakistan’s political spectrum warned that the country’s future is at risk unless rapid population growth is declared a national emergency and addressed through education, reproductive health services, and a shift in development priorities from population size to human welfare.
Speaking at the 14th Meeting of the Parliamentary Forum on Population, organised by the Population Council in collaboration with UNFPA, they stressed that population stabilisation must be treated as a matter of national security and placed at the heart of economic and social planning.
Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, addressing the forum as chief guest, stated that Pakistan could no longer afford silence on an issue affecting every household yet often politically sidestepped. “We must have an open and candid dialogue on population, a topic that impacts every home but is too often avoided. Islam promotes rational thought and responsible action, and our Constitution is rooted in the welfare of humankind. It is time to reignite momentum for population stabilisation and declare an emergency on population, health, and education to secure Pakistan’s future,” he said, receiving strong endorsement from participating lawmakers.
Participants urged that population welfare be integrated into all development and policy frameworks, with universal access to education, particularly for girls, at the core of demographic reforms. They called for revising the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, arguing that incentives tied to population size have encouraged provinces to prioritise numbers over investments in health, education, and human development. Instead, provinces should be rewarded for reducing maternal and infant mortality and improving school enrollment and access to reproductive health services.
Lawmakers welcomed the Council of Islamic Ideology’s formal endorsement of birth spacing as an Islamic and health-protective practice, noting that this religious backing removes a significant barrier to community acceptance of family planning. They emphasised that Islam values the sanctity of human life, and in a country with high maternal and infant mortality rates, birth spacing is a life-saving measure rather than a mere population control tactic. They urged amplifying the message of Meezan and Tawazun (balance) through mosques and religious platforms.
Dr Zeba Sathar, Country Director of Population Council Pakistan, declared that the time for discussion has passed and implementation must begin through a Prime Minister-led national task force to hold provinces accountable and ensure coordinated service delivery. “Unless population stabilisation is treated as a national emergency, our progress will remain limited,” she warned, noting that delays would further strain infrastructure, health systems, and national resources. She highlighted education, especially for girls, as the most effective lever for sustainable population management.
Coordinator to the Chief Minister Punjab on Population, Dr Saira Afzal Tarar, linked Pakistan’s unchecked population growth to multiple national crises, from terrorism to out-of-school children. She advocated for culturally sensitive messaging rooted in religious understanding and reorienting health initiatives, such as the Lady Health Worker programme, towards reproductive health and women-centred service delivery rather than focusing on numerical outreach.
UNFPA Deputy Country Representative Dr Gulnara Kadyrkulova described education as the strongest force for population stabilisation and called for deeper engagement with religious scholars, community elders, and policymakers to transform population welfare into a shared national commitment rather than a donor-driven programme. She stressed that family planning, gender equality, and human development are inseparable elements of economic progress and must be prioritised in national planning.