Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for an immediate national policy to address Pakistan’s rapid population growth rate on Thursday.

Pakistan is home to a vast population of over 251 million, according to World Bank figures. In 2023, the population growth rate was reported to have reached around 2.55 per cent. However, almost forty-five per cent of Pakistan’s population lives below the poverty line, according to a World Bank report.

The prime minister termed the high population growth rate an “alarming trend” and said that immediate and coordinated policy action was required at a national level to address the issue. The World Bank reported Pakistan’s annual growth rate for 2024 as 1.5pc.

The statement came during a high-level meeting chaired by the premier at his office to review the challenges posed by Pakistan’s rising population and deliberate on effective strategies to manage it, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.

The meeting was also attended by Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Education Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf and Federal Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarar, along with senior officials from institutions.

“We need comprehensive planning to ensure our growing population, especially the youth, becomes a productive part of the economy,” PM Shehbaz stressed.

“A large segment of our population comprises young people, who are the most valuable asset for our country.”

He emphasised that the government was taking several initiatives to empower the youth and integrate them into the country’s economic mainstream.

“Opportunities are being created to enable our youth to play a central role in national development,” he added.

Speaking on gender inclusion, Shehbaz underlined the critical importance of women’s participation in the workforce.

“Women constitute a significant portion of our human capital. We must ensure greater employment opportunities for them,” he said.

The premier instructed the formation of a committee to develop a comprehensive and effective national policy, in close collaboration with provincial governments.

“A unified and strategic response is the need of the hour,” he said, calling for a coordinated federal-provincial framework to tackle population-related issues.

He also stressed the importance of launching a nationwide awareness campaign to educate citizens about the implications of unchecked population growth, especially in the context of sustainable economic development.

During the meeting, the premier was briefed on various proposals and recommendations to manage population growth. Officials stressed that any long-term solution would require active provincial collaboration and public engagement at the grassroots level.

Last month, Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said that population growth in Pakistan has reached an alarming level. He highlighted the wide-ranging consequences of the demographic challenge, including over 25m children currently being out of school and overcrowding at government hospitals.

In June, parliamentarians unanimously approved a resolution on population stabilisation and vowed to table it in the National Assembly.