Amid climate, demographic pressures: GDP growth below population needs, says Aurangzeb

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb said that Pakistan is facing major challenges linked to population growth and climate change, while the current GDP growth rate is below the needs of the population.

“The population growth stands at 2.55 per cent, which is higher than other countries in the region.” Almost forty per cent of children face malnutrition and the country is facing repeated floods and droughts because of climate change, the minister said while launching the District Deprivation Index organised by the Population Council here on Monday.

Meanwhile, in another important but separate development, the Ministry of Finance has delayed the launch of the Panda bond. Earlier, it was planned to be launched in November 2025, but now it is expected to be accomplished in January or February 2026.

The District Deprivation Index Report revealed that there are ten million people across 20 districts of the country who are living in deep and persistent deprivation out of which seventeen districts belonged to Balochistan.

The report shows that millions continue to lack clean drinking water, healthcare, education, roads, transport, communication services, emergency response and safe housing. The weakest districts include Washuk, Khuzdar, Kohlu and Zhob, while Kohistan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is also among the most deprived regions. Other districts on the list include

Mashkhel, Dera Bugti, Qilla Saifullah, Kalat, Tharparkar, Sherani and Jhal Magsi. Naseerabad, Awaran, Kharan, North Waziristan and Panjgur also fall in the group of the least developed areas. The report says that sixty five percent of households in the most deprived districts live in mud houses or temporary structures. Jhal Magsi has the highest rate, with ninety seven percent of families living in katcha or semi-permanent houses. Large parts of Balochistan lack reliable roads, transport and mobile phone services, which has weakened emergency response systems and limited development work.

The employment situation is also alarming. Out of the twenty weakest districts, fifteen are in Balochistan where unemployment and unpaid domestic labour are at their highest. Access to healthcare is severely restricted in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where many remote areas are located more than thirty kilometres from the nearest health centre. In some parts of Balochistan the distance can reach ninety three kilometres.

Education indicators are equally troubling. Across Pakistan, high and higher secondary schools are on average twelve kilometres away from communities. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan these distances stretch up to thirty one kilometres. Karachi has the highest number of schools in the country, while Balochistan has the fewest. For girls, the distance to high and higher secondary schools is greatest in Balochistan. Tharparkar in Sindh has been described as demographically the most fragile district.

Muhammad Aurangzeb said both population growth and climate change must be brought under control. He said the most affected populations live in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and stressed that 2.55 percent population growth rate must be reduced urgently.