ISLAMABAD:Senator Sherry Rehman on Wednesday underscored the urgent need to address Pakistan’s rapidly growing population, calling it a ‘ticking time bomb’ that required immediate action.

Speaking at the eleventh meeting of the Parliamentary Forum on Population, organised by the Population Council in collaboration with the UNFPA and UKaid, the senator said the country’s population crisis transcended provincial and partisan boundaries, calling for united efforts across all sectors.

“It is heartening to see representatives from all provinces and political parties gathered here today.Population is neither a provincial issue nor a partisan one — it’s a national crisis,” Senator Rehman said, stressing that population growth directly impacted Pakistan’s resources and development.

She pointed to Sindh as a success story where population planning had been integrated with health services but emphasised that similar efforts were needed nationwide.

“In Sindh, we’ve managed to integrate population issues with health policy, but this needs to happen across the country before the crisis spirals out of control,” she added.

Pakistan, currently the fifth most populous country in the world, was projected to see its population exceed 400 million by 2050.

Senator Rehman expressed concern over how the country would provide basic needs such as jobs, clean drinking water and education to the growing population.

“Our healthcare services are already stretched. How will we reduce maternal mortality or provide education when we have 26 million children out of school,” she asked, emphasising the strain on Pakistan’s infrastructure and social services.

Addressing Pakistan’s water scarcity, she noted that the country ranked third globally among the most water-stressed nations.

“As our population grows, fewer people will have access to clean water,” she said, advocating for public-private partnerships to tackle the crisis.

Senator Rehman praised successful initiatives like the Lady Health Worker (LHW) programme, originally launched by Benazir Bhutto in 1994, which had been internationally recognised for its impact on reproductive health and family planning.

She called for scaling up such programmes nationwide to ensure that every household had access to these essential services.

“These are not taboo topics. Conversations about family planning and pregnancy spacing are crucial to improving maternal and child health,” she said, stressing the need for open dialogue on such issues.

Sherry Rehman also highlighted the importance of reliable population data, advocating for better data collection to inform policymaking.

“Without accurate data, we are only guessing at the true scope of the problem,” she said.

Additionally, she urged for stronger media and public awareness campaigns, noting that the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) mandated that 10pc of airtime should be allocated to public service announcements, but questioned if this mandate was being effectively utilised.

Senator Rehman called for a resolution to integrate population policies with health strategies, ensuring that dedicated resources are allocated to address the issue.

“This is not something we can shelve once the event is over. It must be a continuous priority,” she urged.

The event brought together parliamentarians, private sector representatives, and civil society organisations, all aligned on the urgent need to address Pakistan’s population growth with innovative solutions and coordinated efforts.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2024