Pakistan's rising population: a neglected emergency

Pakistan's population crisis has reached an alarming stage, yet the issue remains neglected by successive governments. With over 240 million people and an annual growth rate of around 2%, the country is struggling to provide even the most basic services to its citizens. The uncontrolled population explosion has exacerbated poverty, unemployment and resource depletion, turning what could have been an asset into an economic liability.

One of the biggest reasons behind this crisis is the absence of a coherent and sustained policy for population control. Since independence, Pakistan has treated population planning as a peripheral issue, failing to integrate it into mainstream development strategies. Unlike other nations that recognised early on the economic dangers of unchecked growth, Pakistan has oscillated between half-hearted measures and outright neglect.

A critical aspect of this failure is the lack of political will. Leaders have either ignored the issue or deliberately avoided addressing it due to religious sensitivities. While neighbouring countries like Bangladesh and Iran adopted aggressive family planning measures, Pakistan continued to shy away from taking decisive action. Policymakers have preferred short-term political gains over long-term national stability, leaving the country to deal with the dire consequences.

The most disastrous consequence of ignoring population control is the severe underinvestment in human development. Pakistan has consistently spent less than 3% of its GDP on education and an even lower percentage on healthcare. The result is an illiterate, unhealthy and unskilled workforce that cannot contribute productively to the economy. Overburdened schools, crumbling healthcare facilities and soaring unemployment rates are all symptoms of this crisis.

Instead of being an economic asset, the growing population has become a financial strain on the country. Job creation has not kept pace with population growth, leading to rising crime rates, urban slums and deteriorating living conditions. The youth bulge - often cited as an opportunity - has turned into a liability due to the absence of education and employment opportunities.

Ignoring population control has historically led to economic and social turmoil. Countries that failed to manage their population growth have faced food shortages, environmental degradation and political instability. In Pakistan's case, a rapidly growing population has increased pressure on already depleting resources like water, energy and arable land.

Moreover, unchecked population growth has worsened gender inequality. Women bear the brunt of poor family planning policies, with high maternal mortality rates and limited access to reproductive healthcare. Child marriages and unplanned pregnancies remain rampant due to societal resistance to modern contraceptive methods. This cycle of poverty and deprivation continues to trap millions of families, further deepening Pakistan's economic crisis.

One of the most unfortunate aspects of Pakistan's population crisis is the misuse of religion to oppose family planning. Over the years, various religious groups have propagated the false notion that family planning contradicts Islamic teachings. This has led to the suspension and even rejection of several government and international family planning programmes.

However, this narrative is both flawed and misleading. Many Muslim-majority countries, including Iran, Turkey and Indonesia, have successfully implemented population control programmes without compromising Islamic principles. Iran, for instance, introduced aggressive family planning policies in the 1990s, leading to a drastic decline in birth rates. Similarly, Turkey and Indonesia have integrated religious scholars into their awareness campaigns, helping to dispel misconceptions about contraception.

Several Muslim-majority nations have demonstrated that effective population control is possible without conflicting with religious values. Iran's success story is a prime example: after the 1980s population boom, the government initiated an extensive campaign encouraging smaller families. Free contraceptives, awareness programmes and integration of religious leaders into the movement resulted in one of the fastest fertility declines in history.

Similarly, Bangladesh - once on the same trajectory as Pakistan - made significant progress through female education, community-based contraceptive distribution and government-led awareness campaigns. As a result, its fertility rate dropped from 6.3 in the 1970s to around 2.1 today. Turkey, another Muslim-majority country, also embraced modern family planning methods, ensuring that religious institutions supported the initiative rather than obstructing it.

If Pakistan is to avoid an economic and social catastrophe, urgent measures must be taken to control its population growth. The government must integrate family planning into national policy, making it a core component of development strategies. A dedicated department should oversee these efforts to ensure consistency and long-term impact. Additionally, large-scale public awareness campaigns are crucial to educate people about the benefits of smaller families. Engaging religious scholars can help counter misconceptions and provide religious legitimacy to contraceptive use.

Expanding access to free and easily available contraceptives, particularly in rural and low-income areas, is another critical step. Investment in female education and employment opportunities is essential, as educated and financially independent women are more likely to make informed family planning decisions. Healthcare infrastructure must also be strengthened so that family planning services are integrated into primary healthcare centers. Furthermore, deploying trained female health workers in communities can ensure direct outreach and effective implementation. Introducing incentives for smaller families, such as financial benefits and educational support, can encourage more people to adopt family planning measures.

Pakistan is at a crossroads. If decisive action is not taken now, the country will face an economic and social implosion driven by an unsustainable population. The time for complacency is over. Pakistan must shed its outdated mindset and follow the examples set by other Muslim nations. Only through serious policy intervention, widespread awareness and political commitment can the country secure a stable and prosperous future for its citizens.