Minister for creating awareness about family planning

LAHORE:Minister for Population Welfare, Dr Jamal Nasir, has underlined the need for creating awareness about the importance of family planning among the rural population of the country.

The minister was addressing the closing session of the 24th annual conference organised by the Population Association of Pakistan, as the chief guest, on Friday. Population Welfare Department, Punjab, Director General Ms Saman Rai also participated in the event. President of the association Dr Nasira Shah and others addressed the conference.

Dr Jamal Nasir said that getting support of religious scholars was imperative for removing apprehensions and misunderstandings about population planning in our society. He said that there was a consensus among religious scholars on the need for adequate intervals between children to improve the health of mother and child.

The minister said that the rapidly growing population was alarming for Pakistan as poverty, unemployment and social problems were increasing due to imbalance of population and resources.

Dr Jamal Nasir said that Pakistan was facing the challenges of climate change as well as population growth. Climate change has affected agriculture, forests, biodiversity and cultivation of food items in Pakistan. If the rate of population growth was not controlled, food, forests and agricultural production would be severely affected resulting in shortage of staple crops and other food items. Increase in population will also cause water scarcity in the country, he added.

Women's role in national development highlighted

A conference was organised by the Women Wing of the United Business Group at a local hotel in Lahore. The event was presided over by SM Tanveer, the Provincial Minister of Industry and Commerce. Officials from Women Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and women investors from across the country attended the conference, which provided a platform for valuable discussions on economic empowerment and the advancement of women.

Addressing the conference, SM Tanveer stressed the need to empower women for economic development and highlighted the significant role of women in contributing to the nation's economic progress. Acknowledging the efforts of the Punjab Government in providing ample economic opportunities for women investors, Tanveer called up equipping women with modern technology and sciences.

Expressing the belief that over half of the country's population consists of women, he urged them to participate in the economic field. He noted the increasing involvement of women in the export sector as a positive trend. The Provincial Industry and Trade Minister reiterated the shared responsibility of the country and working together for its progress.

In recognition of SM Tanveer's efforts to promote investment, participants paid tribute to his contributions. The notable attendees were Naheed Masood, President of the Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry Bahawalpur, Rubina Amjad from Faisalabad Women Chamber and Fahmida Jamali from Quetta.