World Population Day: Family planning stressed for a secure future

Speakers say population growth linked with disease, illiteracy and unemployment

KARACHI: Sindh Population Welfare Minister Mir Mumtaz Hussain Jahkrani pledged on Tuesday that the government will play a proactive role in promoting family planning for a progressive and prosperous nation.

He was addressing public gathered at Sea View for a walk organised on the occasion of the World Population Day. The day is celebrated across the globe with an aim to inform people about threats posed by the rapidly increasing world population and educate them about family planning and other measures to mitigate the effects of population explosion.



The walk was organised by the population welfare department and was attended by a large number of people from all walks of life, including representatives of civil society, health providers and managers, youth organisations, students, media personnel, as well as relevant government departments such as the People's Primary Healthcare Initiative, the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health and the Family Planning Association of Pakistan.

The representatives of civil society present on the occasion included Sukh Initiative, Jhpiego, Aahung, Aman Foundation, Marie Stopes Society, Green Star Social Marketing, Health and Nutrition Development Society and others.



The minister appreciated the constructive role being played by the civil society in creating awareness about population-related issues such as gender inequality, poverty, illiteracy and maternal health.

Other speakers also linked uncontrolled population growth with disease, illiteracy and unemployment and underscored the importance of the day, calling for collective efforts to mitigate the effects of rapid population growth. The speakers said that due to excessive population in the country, women suffer the most and they need to be empowered to take decisions in their best interest.

The walk concluded with a resolution to take personal responsibility in promoting family planning for national prosperity.