PM Shehbaz calls for national policy to address rapid population growth

Islamabad (Web Desk): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday described Pakistan’s annual population growth rate of 2.55% as a matter of serious concern, emphasizing the urgent need for a unified and strategic response at the national level to tackle the challenge effectively.

Chairing a high-level session at the Prime Minister’s Office, he reviewed the growing pressures of population expansion and discussed viable policy measures to address the situation.

The prime minister underscored the importance of forward-looking planning to ensure that the country’s expanding population, particularly its youth, contributes meaningfully to economic development.

He noted that young people represent a substantial and valuable portion of Pakistan’s human resource base and highlighted ongoing government efforts aimed at empowering them through economic inclusion and opportunity creation.

In addition to youth development, the premier drew attention to the essential role of women in the economy, stressing that their greater involvement in the workforce is key to sustainable national progress.

He urged relevant authorities to enhance employment avenues for women, recognizing them as a crucial segment of the country’s human capital.

To address the broader population issue, PM Shehbaz directed the formation of a committee tasked with formulating a comprehensive national population policy.

The premier stressed that this policy must be developed in close coordination with provincial administrations to ensure consistency and effectiveness across all regions.

He reiterated the importance of a harmonized federal-provincial approach to deal with population dynamics comprehensively.

PM Shehbaz also called for a wide-reaching public awareness campaign to educate citizens about the long-term consequences of uncontrolled population growth, particularly its impact on economic sustainability and development goals.

He maintained that public engagement and community-level outreach are indispensable for any successful population management strategy.

During the briefing, senior officials presented various recommendations aimed at managing demographic trends.

They pointed out that lasting solutions would depend heavily on active collaboration with provincial governments and robust engagement with local communities.

The meeting was attended by several key cabinet members, including Federal Minister for Planning and Development Dr. Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Education Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, and Federal Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarar, along with senior officials from concerned departments and institutions.