Pakistan could become the world’s fourth most populous country within the next five years if current growth trends continue. Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal issued this warning recently during a high-level meeting on population challenges.
Pakistan is currently the fifth most populous nation after India, China, the United States, and Indonesia. The country’s population is growing by about 6.2 million people every year, more than the total population of New Zealand. This rapid increase is putting heavy pressure on healthcare, education, infrastructure, jobs, and other basic services.
The minister said the high fertility rate of 3.6 children per woman is the main reason behind this growth. He stressed the urgent need to bring it down to 2.0 for sustainable development. Without quick action, the dream of strong economic progress will be hard to achieve.
Mustafa Kamal highlighted successful examples from other countries. Bangladesh and Indonesia have managed to control their population growth through strong family planning policies, better education, and community awareness. These nations now provide better services to their people despite large populations.
Pakistan’s 2023 census showed faster-than-expected growth, raising serious concerns. Experts warn that an unchecked population rise could worsen poverty, unemployment, and resource shortages.
The government is being urged to launch a robust national family-planning campaign. Coordinated efforts between provinces and federal authorities are needed to spread awareness and make services easily available.
Many hope that timely steps will help turn this challenge into an opportunity for a stronger and more developed Pakistan.
