ISLAMABAD, July 6: The Ministry of Population Welfare will appoint over 8,000 religious scholars for creating awareness among the people of the increasing population in the country and to sort out methods of preventing the growing menace. This was stated by Population Welfare Minister Chaudhry Shahbaz Hussain while talking to reporters in his office on Wednesday. “In this connection, the ministry is holding a seminar on July 11 under the supervision of the United Nations and for this purpose Ulema can play an important role.”

The minister said the population of Muslim countries had increased enormously in the last 15 years, adding that if it was not controlled timely it would lead to a big menace. “We must find out ways of its immediate control,” he added.

He said the government would launch countrywide awareness campaign about the problem in order to carry the message to the doorstep of each family.

In this regard we have informed all district coordination officers of respective districts and political agents of different agencies who would cooperate with the Ulema for the achievement of the objective, he said.

“We are also consulting less populated countries like Iran and Egypt for following their methods of population control and they are assisting us in this regard,” he added.

The minister said there were about 13,000 Ulema who would work in the campaign voluntarily, adding that the ministry would train them for one week.