Call to create balance between population and resources

PESHAWAR: Special Assistant to Chief Minister for Population Welfare, Syed Ahmad Hussain Shah, said that 30 per cent of children in the country are out-of-school due to overpopulation.

He said this while speaking to a seminar on World Population Day, 2022, said a handout. The special assistant said the population of the country is rapidly increasing which is alarming for the balance between the resources and population.

Ahmad Hussain Shah said if the birth rate was not controlled, the masses may face a shortage of water, quality food, better education and health facilities. He emphasised convincing all segments and classes of society to adopt methods for birth control.

The special assistant said some of our neighbouring Islamic countries have controlled their population growth to a great extent and achieved developmental goals toward a standard lifestyle.

He added that the only solution to end discrimination in society is to create a balance in population and resources.

Secretary for Population Welfare Department Zialul Haq said according to statistics of 2017, the population of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has reached 40 million due to which there is one doctor for 1000 people while one bed in hospitals for 1600 people. He said called for a balance between the population and available resources for better grooming of our young generation and to take care of mother and child health.

Other speakers said the Social Welfare Department had established about 800 facilitation centres across the province so far.

As many as 240 more centres in settled while 120 in newly merged districts are to be established in future to facilitate the couples for better family planning. Religious scholars also spoke on the occasion.