The Population Council, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), convened a meeting of the Media Coalition on Population under the theme "Seizing the Moment — New Developments in the SRH Landscape in Pakistan: The Catalyst Role of Media."
The meeting brought together leading journalists, religious scholars and medical experts to discuss how the media can accelerate progress on family planning and reproductive health.
In his opening remarks, Population Council Deputy Manager Communication Ikram ul Ahad highlighted some of the major developments in recent months in taking forward population management, including the Council of Islamic Ideology's Joint Declaration affirming the permissibility of birth spacing in Islam related to mother and child health outcomes, the Prime Minister's announcement of a high-level committee on population, the removal of sales tax on contraceptives and the passage of a National Assembly resolution recognising population growth as a pressing national challenge.
"We are at a defining moment where political leadership, religious consensus and fiscal facilitation are aligning. The media must seize this moment to amplify voices from Parliament, religious forums and communities, and translate these breakthroughs into public awareness and accountability," he said.
Providing a policy and systems perspective, Population Council, Senior Director Dr Ali Mir, emphasised the need to build on recent milestones while acknowledging persistent challenges. "The momentum we see today is the result of years of groundwork, yet stark disparities remain across and within provinces. Shedding light on the media's role, Dr Mir added, "True behaviour change requires influencing deeply rooted gender norms, social customs and critical gaps in SRH service availability continue to act as binding constraints. Here, the media can play a vital role in challenging norms, reshaping perceptions and fostering sustained change." He emphasised the need of creating equitable availability of health and education services for all.
Speaking from a religious perspective, International Research Council for Religious Affairs (IRCRA) Executive Director Allama Tahmeed Jaan Al-Azhari described the recent Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) ruling as a turning point. "The CII's declaration — affirming that birth spacing is essential for maternal and child health and aligned with Islamic teachings — provides the moral clarity Pakistan has needed," he said. Drawing on Islamic principles of Meezan (balance), he added, "Islam not only permits but encourages deliberate intervals between pregnancies to safeguard women's health and family well-being. This ruling is a powerful tool to dispel misconceptions and elevate informed religious discourse."
Offering clinical and public health evidence, FRCOG Information Secretary of the Society of Obstetricians & Gynecologists of Pakistan (SoGP) and Pakistan Academy of Family Physicians (PAFP) Senior Vice President, Dr Saima Zubair, highlighted the urgency of action and the media's role. "Pakistan endures a maternal mortality rate of about 180 deaths per 100,000 live births and an infant mortality rate of 64 per 1,000. Nearly 3.8 million unintended pregnancies each year lead to unsafe abortions, endangering women's lives," she noted. She added that spacing births by at least 24 months can reduce neonatal mortality by up to 50 per cent.
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