Ahsan Iqbal terms population surge; stunting a national emergency

ISLAMABAD, Jul 10 (APP): Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Professor Ahsan Iqbal here on Thursday declared the dual threat of unchecked population growth and widespread child stunting as a national emergency, warning that these challenges severely undermine Pakistan’s future economic competitiveness, governance capacity, and human development prospects.
Speaking at a function held to mark World Population Day, the Minister said that Pakistan faces an alarming situation where 40 percent of its population suffers from stunting — a condition that not only affects physical growth but also impairs cognitive development, limiting individuals’ ability to learn and compete in a global economy.
“Stunting is not just a health issue. It’s a reflection of failures in clean water access, sanitation, nutrition, education, and healthcare. The fact that we have sustained a 40% stunting rate over the past 40 years while our peer countries have progressed is a national failure,” he said. Iqbal stressed that addressing stunting requires a coordinated, multi-sectoral approach involving the entire government and society.
He pointed out the rapid population growth as an equally pressing concern, asking whether Pakistan was prepared to raise an ever-expanding population without the ability to provide quality education, health services, or employment. He called on provinces to take responsibility by launching population planning programs and aligning resource distribution with demographic realities.
Highlighting long-term solutions, Iqbal emphasized that the most effective strategy for population control is educating girls, citing global evidence of a direct link between female education and smaller, healthier families. He also called for a significant increase in women’s participation in the workforce, which currently stands at only 23 percent, compared to over 50 percent in most developed countries.
Turning to governance, the Minister reflected on the aftermath of the 18th Constitutional Amendment. He said that while power was devolved to provinces, the expected improvements in service delivery never materialized because provinces failed to further devolve authority to district and local levels. “Lahore cannot govern all of Punjab, nor can Karachi manage all of Sindh. Without real devolution, effective governance is impossible,” he remarked.
He also criticized the high turnover of officials in key social sectors, calling for fixed tenures to ensure continuity and long-term planning. “Without stability in administration, we cannot expect results, no matter how many resources we allocate,” he added.
He urged all stakeholders including government, media, and civil society to come together around a national consensus. “This is not merely a numbers issue. It is about the future quality of life of our next generations. If we continue to grow our population by 2.5 percent while our GDP grows by 5 percent, we cancel out half our progress. Now is the time to act,” he added.
He reaffirmed that population management and human development remains top priorities in the federal government’s five-year framework and expressed optimism that with provincial cooperation, tangible results can be achieved.