‘Soaring population fuelling unemployment, lawlessness’

Speakers say growing population needs to be reined in to achieve national prosperity

BHAKKAR: There is a dire need for better reproductive health as the growing population is creating hurdles such a food scarcity, unemployment, lack of housing and unemployment, apart from fuelling lawlessness.

This was stated by speakers during a seminar at the District Public Welfare Office at the District Council Hall to mark World Population Day. Deputy Commissioner Asif Ali was the chief guest for the occasion.

Social Welfare Deputy Director Khizar Hayat Khan, District Population Officer Habibur Rehman, Deputy District Population Officer Ramzan Awan and others also attended the meeting.

During the seminar, speakers stressed the need for better reproductive health.

In 1950, the country’s population was 33 million and Pakistan was number 14 on the list of countries with the highest population. Today, the country’s population has sky rocketed to 210 million and Pakistan ranks number six on the list.

In comparison, Pakistan ranks 147th in terms of human development and the birth rate is 1.90%. If this continues, the country’s population will double in the next 37 years and Pakistan will become the third most populated country in the world, speakers claimed.

Speakers added that in order to achieve national development and prosperity, the country’s growing population needs to be reined in. In addition to this, speakers also discussed other topics such as the perils of underage marriages, the need for educating women and the importance of spacing out pregnancies for the mother and the child’s benefit.

During the seminar, officials from the Public Welfare Department stated that 38 family welfare centres, 73 community-based family workers, 29 social mobilisers, three health clinics and four mobile health units are functioning in the district.

At the end of the seminar, participants took part in a walk which began at the District Council Hall and ended at General Bus Stand. Participants were carrying placards relating to World Population Day.

Deputy Commissioner Asif Ali Farrukh said that maintaining a balance between the population and depleting resources is necessary for national development and prosperity. “Rapid economic and social development can be achieved by curbing population growth,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 12^th, 2019.