Unchecked population growth threatens sustainable development: Ahsan

ISLAMABAD, Jun 29 (APP): Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Monday warned that unchecked population growth remained Pakistan’s most critical structural challenge, undermining economic progress and human development, and called for urgent national-level reforms to address the issue.

Addressing the launching ceremony of a book on “Impact of Population Growth on Human Security in Pakistan,” based on a study by the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI), the minister said that without controlling population growth, the country would struggle to achieve sustainable development and improved living standards.

He noted that while Pakistan’s economic indicators were approaching those of middle-income countries, its social indicators lagged far behind, resembling those of least developed nations.

“This contradiction in our development model must be resolved if we are to move forward,” he said, adding that rapid population growth was at the heart of this imbalance.

Ahsan Iqbal highlighted that although Pakistan had reduced its population growth rate from 3.4 percent in 1990 to 2.4 percent by 2017, the latest census showed a reversal, with the rate increasing to 2.55 percent.

“No country in history has achieved sustained progress with such a high population growth rate,” he remarked, stressing that successful nations had brought their growth rates down to around 1 to 1.5 percent or lower.

He explained that high population growth effectively dilutes economic gains. “If the economy grows at three percent while the population increases by 2.5 percent, the real progress is only half a percent,” he said, terming it a major impediment to national prosperity.

The minister pointed out structural flaws in the resource distribution mechanism, particularly the linkage between population size and allocation of resources and political representation.

He observed that the current system discouraged provinces from effectively implementing population control measures, as reducing population could lead to a decline in their share of resources and representation.

Calling for reforms, he suggested introducing incentives for demographic efficiency within the National Finance Commission (NFC) framework so that provinces benefiting from population control efforts would not be penalized.

Ahsan Iqbal also highlighted the importance of a stable and conducive development ecosystem, identifying four key pillars: peace, political stability, policy continuity, and a sustained commitment to reform and modernization. He said that no country had achieved development without ensuring these fundamentals.

He lamented that despite having strong planning frameworks, Pakistan had historically struggled with implementation due to political instability and policy discontinuity. “We are not short of plans; our weakness lies in execution,” he added.

Highlighting human security concerns, the minister described population growth as a central factor affecting education, health, and overall productivity.

He noted that nearly 40 percent of children in Pakistan suffered from stunting due to malnutrition, calling it a “national security crisis” that limited the country’s human potential.

He further pointed out that Pakistan’s literacy rate stood at around 63 percent, far below the global benchmark required for sustainable development, and stressed the need for universal primary education.

“No nation can progress without ensuring that all children are in school,” he said, adding that millions of children remained out of the education system.

Ahsan Iqbal urged policymakers to treat population control, education, and human development as national emergencies, stressing that economic stability and long-term growth depended on addressing these fundamental challenges.