Commission under consideration to sensitize policymakers about alarming population growth rate

ISLAMABAD, May 31 (APP):The government plans to formulate Population Commission of Pakistan and
Population Task Force in order to sensitize policymakers about alarming population
growth rate.
The task force will work under the proposed commission and
objectives are to have a consolidated forum of all stakeholders for
devising plan of action according to national priorities of
Pakistan by adhering to religious doctrines.
These are to deliberate on population control mechanisms
by effectively engaging stakeholders, develop consensus on
implementation of other priority areas of population as mentioned
in Vision 2025, 12th Five Year Plan (2018-23), London Summit on
Family Planning 2012 and SDGs.
A document highlighting plans for next fiscal year on
Thursday revealed that many historic and most important steps will
be taken to tackle the Population and Family Planning situation in
Pakistan. In this regard, the Provincial and Federating Units’
government will be taken on-board to achieve the desired objectives.
These include Formation of Population Commission of Pakistan
which is direly needed and proposed to be formed.
It will have the highest commitments from Federal
and Provincial governments and all other Private Sector
Stakeholders and Development Partners in matters related to
Population, High Growth Rate and sustainable development.
The lead role for coordinating and overseeing
the Population and Family Planning issues will rest with
domain of the proposed Commission under the chairmanship
of Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission and Ministry of
Planning, Development and Reform will have its Secretariat and
coordinating role. A comprehensive National Action Plan for
Family Planning and to control the high population growth rate
should be the prime task of the Commission.
The role of Planning Commission will be enhanced in
population related matters as it has the foremost capacity
to coordinate with the Provinces and Special Areas and to
put them on the fast track for national priorities, better
implementation of the Population Welfare Programme, for achieving
goals of national and international commitments.
The National Task Force for Population and Family Planning
would devise Action Plan and its best implementation, tasks given
by Population Commission, to achieve the desired objectives and
targets of the 12th Five Year Plan and to tackle other issues from
time to time. This task force will be headed by Secretary, Ministry
of Planning, Development and Reform.
Meanwhile, when contacted, official sources said
Population Policy has been finalized and is expected to be
notified within this year. For population planning,
impact oriented approach has been adopted which would bear dividend
in long run.
Ministry of Planning and Development, United Nations Fund
for Population (UNFPA) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
have started a joint project to deal effectively population related
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The objective of the UNFPA contribution is to mainstream population
dynamics across core national and provincial development plans and strategies as this
is consistent with Agenda 2030 and this will improve general quality of development planning.
This project will cover support in research and analysis including impact of
population growth and population dynamics on SDGs achievement in Pakistan.
This would also strengthen overall data ecosystem for SDGs
and population including coordination, monitoring, reporting, capacity
building, online data dissemination Population Annual Plan 2018-19 and
effective use of integrated statistical frameworks for advancing
sustainable development.
The sources said population sector has been accorded as a
high priority sector by the government in order to control
accelerated population growth rate and to improve the demographic
indicators.
The Council of Common Interest (CCI) will decide about
future funding and amount to be allocated to Population Welfare
Programme for 2018-19. The token money of Rs. 511 million has been
allocated in Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP-2018-19) to
this project.
Highlighting the new initiatives, the sources said the government
intends to bring reforms in population sector, so that a cross-cutting
strategy is adopted and the Population Sector Organizations are revived
for ensuring optimal efficiency.