Population control a solution to several problems

LAHORE : Population was an issue that needs constant focus and until the population was controlled, the problems of our country will not be solved.

These views were expressed by the speakers in a special seminar regarding World Population Day organised by Population Welfare Department, Punjab and Mir Khalilur Rahman Memorial Society (Jang Group of Newspapers) here on Wednesday.

The panel of experts included Additional Secretary Admin and Finance Talha Hussain Faisal, Consultant PPFI Dr Sohail Saqlain, Assistant Professor IPH Dr Huda Sarwar, First female Principal Law College University of Punjab, Professor Dr Shazia Mujahid, Anchorperson Geo TV Pir Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq Naqshbandi, Technical Specialist UNFPA Shoaib Shehzad, Head of Department of Gynecology FJMU Professor Dr Zahra Khanum, Deputy Director IEC Project Director Muhammad Akhtar Bhatti, Muhammad Shahid Nusrat, Associate Professor UAS Dr Huma Rasheed, Regional Director FPAP Syed Sarfraz Kazmi, Director PME Dr Zubadah Riaz were present and Wasif Nagi (Senior Editor Health Education, Current Affairs and Chairman Mir Khalilur Rahman Memorial Society, Jang Group) was the host.

Talha Hussain Faisal said it was the responsibility of the stakeholders to convey the message to the masses and create awareness among the people so that the illusions in the minds of the people regarding family planning should be removed.

Dr Sohail Saqlain said that innovative management technique was needed. He stressed on the need of strategic planning to resolve this issue.

Dr Zubadah Riaz said that population control also included women empowerment, education and other things. We need to educate our girls. Stakeholders should also participate like us. Now we have also started premarital counselling in five districts.

M Shahid Nusrat said that 65% of the population consisted of youths and we have to talk about skilled education, as well as provide economic security. We have to make the youth aware of this.

Shoaib Ahmed Shahzad said that Pakistan was the fifth largest country in the world in terms of population while the world’s population has reached eight billion.

According to the UN, the world’s population will be 8.5 billion in 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050 and 10.4 billion in 2100 and it will go on, he said, adding in 1951, the population of Pakistan was 33.78 million while now it was around 220 million.

Pir Zia-ul-Haq Naqshbandi said that the solution to the problems lied in giving birth to fewer children.

It is also in our religion that mothers should breastfeed their children for two years. There is a need to join together and it should also be discussed in the Friday sermon.

Syed Sarfaraz Kazmi said that population was the root cause of all problems and attention should be paid to reduce it. He said that every year there is an increase of 1.2 million people. Every year thousands of students pass from the university but there are no jobs in the market in this sense.

Prof Dr Shazia Mujahid said that the resources were reduced due to the increase in water level. Women’s education is essential, if both husband and wife are literate, then both will come in practical field and will automatically do family planning. That’s why education is essential, people with low income also have more children. We have to change the mindset and behaviour of people. Professor Dr Zahra Khanum said there are 800 to 1,000 patients in the OPD of Ganga Ram Hospital, of which 40% are pregnant women. Even in the days of Covid, the first case of a pregnant woman came here. Even in emergency about 100 patients come. We have to educate women about the correct method of contraceptives.

Dr Huda Sarwar said that population growth has a greater impact on resources and environment. We need to change our attitudes. According to the current report, a woman is giving birth to four children. Men are also being counselled regarding family planning.

Dr Huma Rasheed said that the country’s population was increasing at the rate of two percent annually. Both mother and child are affected by the birth of children without interval, infant mortality means those children who die within one month of birth. In this regard, Pakistan ranks first in the list of 195 countries.

Our GDP is $290 billion. Three mothers out of every 2,000, similarly Pakistan ranks 15th in the world in terms of infant mortality. Akhtar Bhatti said that the field officers of the department were playing their part diligently.