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ISLAMABAD, Oct 20 (APP):Lawmakers from across Pakistan have called for declaring rapid unsustainable population growth a national emergency and integrating population welfare into all development and policy frameworks.
They emphasized that Pakistan’s progress depends on ensuring universal access to education, improving reproductive health services, and empowering local governments to deliver family welfare programs at the grassroots level.
During the 14th Meeting of the Parliamentary Forum on Population, organized by Population Council, in collaboration with UNFPA, participants highlighted that education must be made accessible and universal, ensuring that every citizen especially those from marginalized communities is given equal opportunities.
They urged that the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award be revised to remove incentives that favour population growth and instead reward provinces for progress in health, education, and population stabilization.
Addressing the Forum as Chief Guest, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar lauded the Forum’s diverse representation and said, “We must have an open and candid dialogue on population, a topic that affects every home but is too often avoided. Islam promotes rational thought and responsible action, and our Constitution is rooted in the welfare of humankind. It is time to reignite the momentum for population stabilization and declare an emergency on population, health, and education to secure Pakistan’s future.”
The parliamentarians welcomed the Council of Islamic Ideology’s endorsement of birth spacing and its recommendation to involve religious leaders more actively in disseminating messages on its permissibility. They noted that birth spacing is aligned with Islamic principles, as it helps safeguard the health and wellbeing of both mother and child.
Islam places great emphasis on the sanctity of human life. In view of Pakistan’s high maternal and infant mortality rates, birth spacing can play a vital role in saving lives—an important message that now needs to be widely communicated.
The CII’s endorsement underscores the principle of Meezan or Tawazun—balance—in all aspects of life, including decisions related to family size.
Lawmakers also underscored that family planning, maternal and child health, and reproductive health services should be made widely available through strengthened local government systems. They called for persistent awareness campaigns at the community level and greater engagement with religious scholars to affirm the Islamic permissibility of family planning.
Dr. Zeba Sathar, Country Director of the Population Council Pakistan, stressed the urgency of moving from dialogue to action. “Unless population stabilization is treated as a national emergency, our progress will remain limited,” she said. “We must ensure implementation through a national task force that coordinates across provinces and holds all actors accountable. Education, particularly for girls, remains the foundation of sustainable population management.”
Coordinator to the chief minister Punjab on Population Dr. Saira Afzal Tarar emphasized the need for culturally sensitive communication and women-centered programming. “Population growth underpins many of Pakistan’s major challenges — from terrorism to out-of-school children,” she said. “We must communicate within our cultural and religious context, promote women’s empowerment, and realign programs like the Lady Health Worker initiative with reproductive health objectives.”
Dr. Gulnara Kadyrkulova, Deputy Country Representative of UNFPA Pakistan, reaffirmed the organization’s support for Pakistan’s population agenda. “Education is the strongest force for population stabilization,” she noted. “We must connect family planning, gender equality, and human development to national priorities. Engaging religious leaders, community elders, and policymakers together will ensure that population welfare becomes a shared national commitment.”
The meeting concluded with a unified call for a Prime Minister–led national task force to drive coordinated action across provinces, revise the NFC Award to reflect social development priorities, and embed population welfare within the country’s broader economic and human development plans.