Key Takeaways
- The federal government has appointed Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir to help curb Pakistan's population growth.
- Pakistan is set to become the fourth most populous country by 2030, surpassing Indonesia.
- The government aims to reduce annual population growth through policy reforms and increased access to family planning.
In a bid to address Pakistan’s burgeoning population, the federal government has turned to Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for assistance. This was disclosed during a joint meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services and the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights, where Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal briefed lawmakers.
Pakistan currently ranks fifth in terms of population but is projected to become the fourth most populous country by 2030, overtaking Indonesia. The minister highlighted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has convened several high-level meetings on population management and established a committee for this purpose, with Field Marshal Munir as one of its members.
The government’s approach involves both governmental action and public participation. Minister Kamal noted that the current National Finance Commission (NFC) Award formula, which allocates 82% of resources based on population, inadvertently incentivizes provinces to increase their populations. He proposed reducing this figure to just 50%, arguing that provinces with lower population growth should not face a decline in their NFC share.
Another significant factor contributing to high birth rates is the limited availability of contraceptives. To address this, tax exemptions have been granted on contraceptive products. The minister stated that Pakistan records approximately 6.7 million births annually and estimated that wider access to family planning could reduce annual population growth by about 1.5 million people.
During the meeting, committee members questioned whether population welfare remained a devolved subject following the 18th Constitutional Amendment. Minister Kamal confirmed that the subject had been transferred to the provinces, while lawmakers observed that federal decisions could not be imposed on provincial governments after devolution.
Committee members called for legislation to curb unchecked population growth. However, representatives of the Ministry of Law informed the committee that parliament could not legislate on matters exclusively devolved to the provinces. A representative from the Council of Islamic Ideology assured that there was no sectarian disagreement on measures aimed at addressing rapid population growth.
The meeting concluded with a directive for consultations between the Ministry of Law, religious scholars, and relevant parliamentary committees to develop a consensus-based strategy. Another joint meeting is expected in the coming days.
