Growing crisis

AN emergency can be judged by the speed with which it draws an effective response. The National Population Council’s executive committee has declared rapid population growth a national emergency. But Pakistan has been warned about this crisis for decades, with little to show for it.

People still struggle to obtain reproductive healthcare, clinics run short of contraceptives, and millions of couples lack the information and services needed to plan families. The 2023 census recorded an annual population growth rate of 2.55pc, placing further pressure on schools, hospitals, housing, jobs and water supplies. The state cannot keep announcing plans while failing to provide basic services.

One key decision taken at the meeting was to improve the tracking of contraceptive supplies. But collecting data is only the first step. Provinces must ensure that clinics are adequately equipped, healthcare workers are trained and family planning services reach remote and neglected communities. Religious scholars can also help address misconceptions about birth spacing, particularly by explaining its benefits for mothers and children.

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has raised another important issue: the National Finance Commission formula, which gives population an 82pc weight in the distribution of provincial resources. His concern that the formula may reward population growth deserves attention.

However, simply giving provinces more money for reducing birth rates could create fresh problems. Provinces with larger, poorer populations already face greater demands for schools, hospitals and other services. Cutting their share would only make these problems worse.

Instead, the government should consider rewarding provinces that improve access to family planning, girls’ education and maternal healthcare, while ensuring that funding reflects their actual needs. Above all, the authorities must recognise that population planning is about helping people make informed choices, not merely bringing down numbers.

Calling population growth a national emergency is easy. Ensuring that the response reaches the people who need it is the real challenge.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2026