Critical issues surrounding Pakistan’s population crisis

The on-the-rise population crisis in Pakistan produces consequences for its citizens’ economy, social development, and overall quality of life. Successive governments have neglected the issue of population control and failed to implement coherent policies to address the problem, which has made worse poverty, unemployment, and resource depletion. Pakistan has treated population control as a peripheral issue, and political leaders have often avoided addressing it due to religious sensitivities or short-term political gains. The country spends less than 3% of its GDP on education and healthcare, leading to a poorly educated and unhealthy workforce, this results in high unemployment, deteriorating living conditions, and increased crime rates. The rapid population growth places immense pressure on already dwindling resources such as water, energy, and arable land, worsening the economic strain. Unchecked population growth has disproportionately affected women, with high maternal mortality rates, limited access to reproductive healthcare, and the persistence of child marriages. Pakistan must urgently adopt a comprehensive, long-term approach to controlling its population, which includes policy changes, greater investment in education and healthcare, and public awareness campaigns. It calls for a shift in political will and engagement with religious leaders to promote family planning, thus ensuring a more stable and prosperous future for Pakistan. The lack of political will, underinvestment in human development, and the depletion of resources are three key factors that are certainly central to understanding the challenges the country faces. The comparison with other Muslim-majority countries like Iran and Turkey is especially useful for showing that population control does not inherently conflict with Islamic values, providing a potential pathway for Pakistan to follow. In terms of policies, Pakistan could look to Iran and Turkey’s family planning strategies for guidance. Iran, for example, implemented a successful family planning program in the 1990s that included mass education campaigns, free access to contraception, and the integration of family planning into healthcare services. This policy shift came after the country realized that population growth was outpacing economic development. Turkey, on the other hand, focused heavily on integrating family planning education into schools and public health campaigns, working through both government and non-governmental organizations to normalize discussions around reproductive health. For Pakistan, a similar approach could work, but with some unique adaptations. For example through public education and awareness campaigns, healthcare infrastructure, Local Governance and Grassroots Movements, and Women’s Empowerment. Pakistan could implement large-scale, nationwide campaigns that focus on family planning, leveraging media platforms, including social media, to spread awareness. These campaigns can emphasize the economic and social benefits of smaller families and how family planning can improve overall quality of life. Healthcare Infrastructure: Expanding access to reproductive healthcare and contraception, particularly in rural and underserved areas, would be crucial. This could include training healthcare workers and making contraception more affordable and accessible to women. Local Governance and Grassroots Movements: While national policy is critical, local initiatives could also play a vital role in addressing this issue. Local governments could create more tailored programs based on regional needs. Involving community leaders, including religious leaders, in advocating for family planning at the local level could help to break down cultural and religious barriers that currently limit access to family planning. Women’s Empowerment: Fostering gender equality through education, healthcare, and economic opportunities is a crucial part of this issue. Addressing maternal mortality and child marriage in a straight line is key to improving overall women’s health and reducing birth rates. We should add to the solutions to move from diagnosis to actionable steps. Coming together on local initiatives and grassroots movements would be a good way to address this issue in Pakistan and larger national policy changes could be a more feasible starting point.