Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday described Pakistan’s annual population growth rate of 2.55% as an alarming trend requiring a national policy to address the issue.
Chairing a high-level meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office to review the challenges posed by Pakistan’s surging population and deliberate on effective strategies to manage it, he said a comprehensive plan was imperative to ensure the population becomes a productive part of the economy.
“A large segment of our population comprises young people, who are the most valuable asset for our country,” he said according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.
Sharif emphasized that the government was taking several initiatives to empower youth and integrate them into the country’s economic mainstream. “Opportunities are being created to enable our youth to play a central role in national development,” he added.
On gender inclusion, the prime minister stressed the critical importance of women’s participation in the workforce. “Women constitute a significant portion of our human capital. We must ensure greater employment opportunities for them,” he added.
Sharif directed relevant authorities to form a committee to develop a comprehensive and effective national policy, in close collaboration with provincial governments. “A unified and strategic response is the need of the hour,” he said, calling for a coordinated federal-provincial framework to tackle population-related issues. He also stressed the importance of launching a nationwide awareness campaign to educate citizens about the implications of unchecked population growth, especially in the context of sustainable economic development.
During the meeting, the prime minister received a briefing on various proposals and recommendations to manage population growth. Officials stressed that any long-term solution would require active provincial collaboration and public engagement at the grassroots level.