Population control — Pakistan’s greatest challenge

Currently, Pakistan ranks as the fifth most populous country in the world, with a total population of 241,639,256. Among its neighbouring countries, Pakistan exhibits the highest population growth rate, standing at 1.98%, surpassing India with 1.26% and Bangladesh with 1.03%.

Largely, the matter of population control has remained neglected in Pakistan. The public and private sectors have not adequately addressed this issue. Since 2021, the most noteworthy effort in this regard has been undertaken by the United Nations Population Fund Pakistan (UNFPA).

The UNFPA announced its commitment to its visionary agenda set for the year 2030. Their mission centres on the pivotal objectives of facilitating equitable access to state-of-the-art fertility clinics, establishment of family planning schemes in rural areas and robust promotion of contraceptive supply and usage. However, greater efforts must be taken towards the objective of population control.

Rapid population growth stands as a critical crisis in Pakistan, amplifying a multitude of challenges that confront the nation in terms of economic development, environmental degradation and the overall well-being of its people. Rapid population growth has an adverse impact on economic progress, as there is an oversupply of labour and limited employment opportunities. As a result, there is a surge in individuals seeking employment in unproductive sectors that offer meager wages, often resulting in the exploitation of workers who endure long working hours. This imbalance hinders technological advancement and industrialisation, impeding the country’s economic growth prospects.

Rapid population growth has a negative impact on the economy and the environment. Pakistan’s economy heavily relies on agriculture. The challenge of rapid population growth places a significant strain on its finite natural resources. This demographic expansion is pressuring farmers to increase crop production to meet the growing demand for food. Consequently, there has been a rise in deforestation and the conversion of land for agriculture and urbanisation, exacerbating the adverse effects of climate change in Pakistan.

Furthermore, monoculture farming exhausts the land, leading to a depletion of natural resources. This practice not only triggers detrimental environmental consequences but also engenders a complex set of economic challenges that cannot be overlooked.

As Pakistan’s population continues to grow, farmers face relentless pressure to maximise crop production, often resorting to the repetitive cultivation of crops on the same plots of land. This practice, while initially boosting yields, eventually takes a heavy toll on the soil’s fertility and overall health. Over time, the land becomes less productive, and the depletion of essential resources, such as nutrients and water, becomes increasingly apparent.

The gravity of this situation is compounded by Pakistan’s strong reliance on agriculture. The country heavily depends on exporting key commodities like rice and cotton, which constitute a significant portion of its economy. As a result, Pakistan would become increasingly reliant on imports to compensate for the dwindling natural resources, thus leading to potential economic challenges associated with trade imbalances and dependency on external sources.

Additionally, rapid and unplanned population growth places a burden on existing healthcare facilities, education institutions and urban infrastructure. The infrastructure does not have the capacity to support the increasing population — something which consequently results in the deterioration of these infrastructures. For example, unplanned urbanisation would lead to overcrowding and proliferation of slums in major cities. Additionally, this would result in deterioration of roads, public transport, sanitation system and drinking water supply, which would affect the overall quality of life for residents.

These poor living conditions and sanitation also contribute to the spread of communicable diseases — something that places a burden on healthcare facilities already ill-equipped to cater to the rising population. Within the healthcare sector, the surging demand for medical services places an excessive burden on the current infrastructure, leading to extended waiting periods, compromised accessibility to high-quality healthcare and reduction in overall health outcomes. Similarly, in the domain of education, unchecked population growth poses challenges, as educational institutions contend with overcrowded classrooms, resource constraints and a decline in the educational experience delivered to students.

Overall, high population growth lowers human welfare and reduces the standard of living. It exacerbates various challenges faced in Pakistan as more effort is put into sustaining the increasing population and consumption of the country’s limited resources which should otherwise be accumulated as capital for development purposes.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 12^th, 2023.

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