Ungovernable headcount

Currently, Pakistan is the fifth most populous country in the world, and at its present growth rate, it is projected to surpass Indonesia, the fourth largest, within the next five years. The country's population is increasing by roughly 6.2 million people annually which is more than the entire population of New Zealand. If left unattended, this growth rate will soon run national resources dry which will have devastating impacts on both the citizens and the economy.

The most immediate casualty of unchecked growth is water. Pakistan is already among the most water-stressed countries in the world. With per capita availability having fallen drastically over the past three decades and global warming causing dangerous levels of glacial loss as well as more frequent droughts, the future as it stands is bleak. Every additional 6.2 million mouths places new demands for potable water, a luxury that is still unrealistic for many. Food security is equally precarious. Pakistan's agricultural productivity has not kept pace with population growth and as the population swells, the gap between what the land can produce and what the people need will only widen.

Beyond food and water, a population surge will strain every system that the state is responsible for maintaining. The present reality of Pakistan includes depleting energy resources, overwhelmed healthcare facilities and widespread unemployment among other problems. When compounded, each of these pressures threaten to make daily life unliveable for the average citizen in the near future.

The government must draw an actionable plan for accessible family planning with urgency. Investment in girls' education is an important factor within that discussion. Countries like Iran and Bangladesh have demonstrated that fertility rates can be brought down rapidly with ground-level implementation. A holistic route towards population control will soon be the only thing standing between a manageable future and an irreversible one.