in terms of improving and expanding their networks of family welfare centers (FWCs), mobile service units (MSUs), other reproductive health facilities, and outreach workers; developing training centers; social mobilization efforts; and efforts to secure their contraceptive supplies beyond 2015. All provincial and regional representatives expressed their willingness to increase access to family planning as well as the need for technical and financial assistance from the federal government and international organizations to achieve their goals.
The modalities of how the federal and provincial governments could work together after devolution were discussed. The federal government assured provinces that they now owned the population programmes, and should make their own plans and secure assistance from international organizations directly; the role of the federal government is restricted to facilitating coordinating, and international reporting.
The Population Summit 2015 marked the first time in Pakistan that the issue of rapid population growth in the country was acknowledged candidly by all stakeholders, including ulema from all schools of thought, as a matter of urgent national concern. Participants termed it a milestone and a turning point in the national development discourse.
Representatives of the international community and organizations congratulated the country on coming together to identify the population and human development issue as a core priority and assured the gathering of their continued support.
Addressing the closing session, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said it was deplorable that while Pakistan is a middle-income country, its performance against social indicators is at the level of the least developed nations. He said, it is time for the country to put people first in the development agenda through urgent investments in reducing population growth, and in improving education and health so that the nation can emerge as a strong player in the current era of knowledge-based economies.