KARACHI: It has been emphasised at a pre-budget policy dialogue at the Sindh Assembly that the province’s population must be treated as a cross-sector development priority, closely linked to employment, food security, education and climate resilience, and be integrated into provincial fiscal planning to achieve sustainable progress.

With regard to budgetary allocations, concern was also expressed over the “widening disparities” in Sindh due to the “uneven investments” at the district level, particularly in the face of climate vulnerability and rural poverty.

The dialogue, titled “Investing in People: Pre-Budget Policy Dialogue with Sindh Assembly Members,” was convened by the Population Council with the support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and served as a platform to translate the province’s progressive legislative framework on population into concrete budgetary allocations and measurable implementation.

Members of the Sindh Assembly from both treasury and opposition benches came together at the dialogue to call for a decisive shift in fiscal priorities, placing population stabilisation and human development at the centre of the Sindh budget 2026–27.

Govt, opposition MPAs want main focus on population stabilisation and human development in next Sindh budget

Addressing the session as the chief guest, Minister for Health and Population Welfare Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho emphasised that the population must be treated as a cross-sector development priority, closely linked to employment, food security, education, and climate resilience.

“Population is not a vertical issue—it affects every sector and every development outcome. Unless we integrate it into our fiscal planning, we will not achieve sustainable progress,” she said, while sharing that Sindh which has already aligned population and health policies must now focus on their implementation.

“Family planning is a shared responsibility, and sustainable change requires informed decision-making by both partners,” she added, urging parliamentarians to incorporate population issues into their budget speeches and to prioritise achieving sustainable fertility levels for long-term economic stability.

Dr Zeba A. Sathar, Senior Country Advisor at the Population Council, in her welcome remarks framed rapid population growth as a broader issue of political economy and equity in public spending.

“The budget is a statement of policy direction. We must ask whether our allocations reflect the realities of our most vulnerable populations,” she noted, highlighting that uneven investments have widened district-level disparities, particularly in the face of climate vulnerability and rural poverty.

She underscored that Sindh’s integrated leadership of health and population sectors presents a unique opportunity to lead on delivery and demonstrate measurable outcomes.

Dr Hanid Mukhtar, senior economist and former World Bank official, underscored the need to correct fiscal misalignment in Pakistan’s development priorities.

“This is not a question of resources but of priorities. Despite clear evidence of its economic returns, population planning remains one of the least funded sectors,” he stated, noting that investments in family planning yield high social and economic returns and are critical for poverty reduction and inclusive growth.

He cautioned that without addressing population dynamics, gains in education, health, and economic development would remain constrained.

Dr Jamil Ahmad Chaudhry, programme specialist for Sexual and Reproductive Health at UNFPA, spoke about Pakistan’s commitments under global and national frameworks, including FP2030 and the CCI Action Plan, while drawing attention to the significant financing gap in population programming.

“Pakistan has made strong policy commitments, but the challenge now is implementation — particularly ensuring last-mile access and reaching underserved populations,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 7th, 2026