PM seeks national policy to address challenges posed by rising population

• PM terms 2.55% population growth an alarming threat.
• Committee to draft unified national policy with provinces.
• PM stresses need to integrate youth into economic system.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday termed Pakistan's annual population growth rate of 2.55%, an alarming trend requiring immediate and coordinated policy action at the national level to address the issue.

The prime minister chaired a high-level meeting at the Prime Minister's Office to review the challenges posed by Pakistan's rising population and to deliberate on effective strategies to manage it, a Prime Minister’s Office news release said.

"We need comprehensive planning to ensure our growing population, especially the youth, becomes a productive part of the economy," he stressed. "A large segment of our population comprises young people, who are the most valuable asset for our country."

He emphasised that the government was taking several initiatives to empower the youth and integrate them into the country's economic mainstream. "Opportunities are being created to enable our youth to play a central role in national development," he added.

Speaking on gender inclusion, PM Shehbaz underlined the critical importance of women's participation in the workforce. "Women constitute a significant portion of our human capital. We must ensure greater employment opportunities for them," he directed.

The prime minister instructed the formation of a committee to develop a comprehensive and effective national policy, in close collaboration with provincial governments.

"A unified and strategic response is the need of the hour," he asserted, calling for a coordinated federal-provincial framework to tackle population-related issues.

He also stressed the importance of launching a nationwide awareness campaign to educate citizens about the implications of unchecked population growth, especially in the context of sustainable economic development.

During the meeting, Premier Shehbaz was briefed on various proposals and recommendations to manage population growth.

Officials stressed that any long-term solution would require active provincial collaboration and public engagement at the grassroots level.

The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Education Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, Federal Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarar, along with senior officials from relevant institutions.