Next SC campaign to tackle population control, says CJP

E-Paper | September 30, 2026

Next SC campaign to tackle population control, says CJP

Dawn.com Published November 25, 2018

Justice Nisar says nation's resources are shrinking and this would continue unless the overpopulation is controlled. — File

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Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Saturday revealed that the next campaign the Supreme Court would support would be centred around population control.

Speaking to Geo News following a fundraising event in Birmingham for the construction of dams here, Justice Nisar said that he is planning to spearhead a drive spreading awareness about population control.

"A task force for family planning under Health Secretary Captain (retd) Zahid Saeed was already created and has come up with a report on the matter," he said.

"There will be a conference regarding this in the Supreme Court... on December 12 or 13, and the prime minister and I will also be part of the conference."

"Your [country's] resources are shrinking and that will continue to eventually create disparity and saturation [of resources]," the CJP said. "This is one of the most fundamental issues of the country and it needs to be combated."

According to the 2017 census, which was held after a gap of 19 years, the country’s population has been counted at 207,774,520 living in 32,205,111 households. Top government officials have decided to reduce the population growth rate of 2.4 per cent per annum to 1.5pc.

The Centre and the provinces last Monday decided to form task forces within their jurisdictions to control rapid population growth.

The task forces will consider recommendations made by a task force constituted earlier on SC orders, and will submit a comprehensive action plan to the Council of Common Interests, taking into account the future implementation strategy of the action plan, the financial aspects and other issues relating to garnering support of all segments of society for the success of a comprehensive population control programme.

Justice Nisar, while speaking about the fundraiser, said that the response for his call to funds had been overwhelming.

"When an eight-year-old child and and 84-year-old woman both have contributed [to the fund] then who else is left? The whole country has come together to make this fundraising a successful movement."

Population crisis

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Ubaid

Nov 25, 2018 12:36pm

Well... Appreciable... But we should give education top priority

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Anil Khan

Nov 25, 2018 12:59pm

wht about campaign for judicial reforms?

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Gin

Nov 25, 2018 01:17pm

Construction of Dams Completed?

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Sara Ansari

Nov 25, 2018 01:19pm

Isn't it ironic that the stuff government is supposed to do is being done by SC? Kudos to CJP.

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Anti-Corruption_Pakistani

Nov 25, 2018 01:53pm

Good move, one of the very important issues that have been ignored in the past, as population growth is vital for future planning of our resources, infrastructure, education, health care and ensuring that people have clean water and job opportunities. According to UNO, WHO and other organisations, the average annual population growth rate of the world is about 1%, whereas Pakistan's annual birth rate is over 2%. This is why during the last 50 years or so, Pakistan's population has increased about 300% and causing high poverty rate, lack of basic commodities, high corruption and limited resources to cater mass population. No doubt, corrupt, high population growth rate and shortage of water are the main issues that both CJP and PM have recognised and willing to take appropriate actions, and I shall do my best to support such noble work and urge my fellow citizens to do the same.

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Khaled

Nov 25, 2018 01:56pm

You don't need conference or taskforce to control population, what you need is to educate people.

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Saood

Nov 25, 2018 01:59pm

Great .thats what we need badly.we are so many in a small country.

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Fajar Khan

Nov 25, 2018 02:01pm

Pl concentrate to provide justice,

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Feisal Rahimtoola

Nov 25, 2018 02:18pm

No doubt Population and Defense expenditure are major overlooked issues. However, in a democratic set up legislation comes through the assembly/senate, not through the courts!

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Rubina Jan

Nov 25, 2018 02:43pm

CJP need to concentrate on quick disposal of 40,000 cases pending at Supreme Court and let the gov't do it's job.

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Haroon Naseem

Nov 25, 2018 03:39pm

And what about Judicial reforms, when we are going to start a campaign against the injustice people are facing in lower courts.

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Kas

Nov 25, 2018 04:14pm

@Gin, :) it will take 3-4 years for the construction to finish . The main subject on discussion is population control ... becoming a problem. It should be the government responsibility to address this with education in schools, hospitals, mosques, media.

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Nov 25, 2018 04:42pm

Cjp first make lower judiciary corruption free

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Omar

Nov 25, 2018 04:56pm

Finally , someone is talking sensibly about real problem facing the nation

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Asad

Nov 25, 2018 05:21pm

Finally!! someone taking population control seriously! We need to stop multiplying!

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Mansur Ul Haque

Nov 25, 2018 05:32pm

Very good chief Sahib.Your efforts for the construction of dams are commendable. You are brave man. You are touching controversial but very important subject(population explotion) and hope positive result will emerge. Sir, your attention is also required towards judicial system and especially about lower judiciary and particularly civil courts. It take decades to get decision from the courts. Development authorities like LDA black mail owners for transfer and approval of plans.

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Tahir Raouf

Nov 25, 2018 05:40pm

Common person is suffering due to delays and costly justice, when will there be reforms in judicial system

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Ahmed

Nov 25, 2018 05:48pm

Are these subjects within his domain?

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Imtiaz Ali Khan

Nov 25, 2018 06:01pm

@Anti-Corruption_Pakistani, Jazakallah me too I will support as a volunteer to pass the knowledge to our masses we must all play our small role and collectively we can make it a big effort this way. So important thing population issue, finance of each house hold will improve if we don't have too many mouths to feed. Such good word you wrote I agree with you my brother.

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Ash Man

Nov 25, 2018 06:09pm

If population problems are solved other problems will be easy to solve.

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Raju Patel

Nov 25, 2018 06:49pm

Over population is the root cause of all the problems facing by both India and Pakistan .Neither politicians nor so-called religious leaders are interested or having guts to understand the mother of all problems.

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SYED HASSAN HASEEB

Nov 25, 2018 06:51pm

on top urgent basis pl do

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AKB

Nov 25, 2018 07:12pm

Population explosion is the mother of all issues in Pakistan. A very sensible move by the CJP.

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Ahsan Gul

Nov 25, 2018 08:12pm

@Sara Ansari, - sure it is supposed to be our governments to make public aware about population explosions but both PML-N and PPP leaders had different agenda on their own. Sad to see these incompetent people who have only stealing and money laundering in their mind ran our country.

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Jacky

Nov 26, 2018 12:26am

@Ahsan Gul, i think now u have honest govt of PTI with IK as your PM.

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Dawned

Nov 26, 2018 12:26am

What is going on here? 1) Plans to marginalize the population under the umbrella of population control so that the country can meet the existing resources. 2) Building a mega expensive dam to provide resources to population based on the increase ratio on current growth ratio. 3) Appreciating the 8 years and the 84 years who are able to contribute on a single call, the ones who are the citizens of the chaotic, resource limited Pakistan. I am unable to connect the dots, maybe i am understanding it wrong, and can someone clarify me the roadmap of this thought process. Lastly for now, can someone also define the roles of our respected institutions and also draw a line or boundaries around the roles and responsibilities please

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Ahsan Gul

Nov 26, 2018 01:31am

@Raju Patel, totally agree with you.

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Naeem

Nov 26, 2018 01:57am

Bravos CJP is tackling the most important issue of population explosion

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Pride

Nov 26, 2018 03:38am

If population control was in place, CJP won't be there.

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Alla Bux

Nov 26, 2018 06:12am

@Kas, More like 30, 40 years.

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M S Alvi

Nov 26, 2018 06:37am

Just awareness will not do much - you need to make a law limiting the number of children as China had for a period of time.

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Zahir Uddin

Nov 26, 2018 07:32am

Glad to know that at last someone have taken-up this menace of population control. This probably is the most fundamental problem of the country but has never been “allowed” to surface. It is no rocket science that our population is bursting at the seams and no one is worried about it.

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s.r.reddy

Nov 26, 2018 07:41am

@Khaled, do the religious leaders agree for population control?

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