ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday termed the country’s annual population growth rate of 2.55 per cent an “alarming trend”, which requires immediate and coordinated policy action to address the issue at the national level.

His comments came during a high-level meeting, held to review the challenges posed by the country’s rising population, according to a statement from the PM Office.

“A large segment of our population comprises young people, who are the most valuable asset for our country. We need comprehensive planning to ensure our growing population, especially the youth, becomes a productive part of the economy,” PM Shehbaz said.

He said the government is creating opportunities to enable young people to “play a central role in national development” and stressed the need for greater workforce participation by women.

Orders formation of body to develop national policy in coordination with provinces; wants greater economic opportunities for women

He noted that women constituted a significant portion of the country’s human capital, adding that it was essential to ensure greater employment opportunities for them.

The premier ordered the formation of a committee to create a national policy in collaboration with provincial governments and called for a coordinated federal-provincial framework to tackle population-related issues.

“A unified and strategic response is the need of the hour,” he added.

PM Shehbaz also stressed the importance of a nationwide awareness campaign to educate citizens on the implications of unchecked population growth for sustainable economic development.

During the meeting, the prime minister was apprised that any long-term solution would require active provincial collaboration and public engagement.

Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Education Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Federal Minister for Informa-tion and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf and Federal Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarar also attended the meeting, along with other senior officials.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2025