ISLAMABAD: Parliamentary forum on population was established on Thursday, paving the way for supportive legislation in the parliament that will help improve people’s access to reproductive health services and promote balance between population and resources.

According to a statement issued by Population Council on Thursday, parliamentarians, both from the federal and provincial and the Senate will constitute the forum.

The forum will take stock of the progress made on the 2018 Council of Common Interest (CCI) recommendations that call for ensuring universal access to family planning and reproductive health services across Pakistan to accelerate fertility transition in the country.

The council will provide technical assistance to the Forum with support from United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, while speaking at the launching ceremony, highlighted the impact of rapid population growth on Pakistan’s resources.

“Pakistan is one of the third most water-stressed countries in the world and ranks 78th on the Global Food Security Index out of 113 countries (2019),” he said.

He further added that if Pakistan’s population continued to grow at the same pace, by 2040, the urban population density would increase from its current level of 2,100 people per Sq. km to 4,000 people per Sq. km and less cultivatable land will be available in next 20 years.

In his address, Senator Syed Shibli Faraz, Leader of the Upper House, said the recent unanimous resolution on the alarming rate of population growth that was moved by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed and was passed by the Senate on Jan 20was testimony of the seriousness of political support for population issues.

“Through this Forum, we hope that we will be able to generate debate and dialogue about population growth and economic development both inside and outside the parliament,” he said.

Highlighting the role of legislators, he further added, “Parliamentarians play a critical role to translate government’s commitment to provide universal access to comprehensive reproductive health care and must offer their active support to catalyse effective and urgently required political action at all levels.”

In her welcome remarks, Country Director Population Council Dr Zeba Sathar lauded government’s initiatives and sustained political commitment in creating an enabling socio political environment to advance fertility transition in the country.

Citing fertility and demographic trends of Pakistan, Dr Sathar said if Pakistan was closer to fertility levels of the rest of the region, it could save thousands of mothers’ lives, and have 40 million fewer Pakistanis living in poverty.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2020