ISLAMABAD: Policy experts, development practitioners and journalists on Monday suggested sustained political commitment and adequate financing for population and development.

They were speaking at a media coalition meeting titled ‘Population Stabilisation and Resource Allocation: Media’s Role in Promoting Accountability’, organised by the Population Council in collaboration with UNFPA. The meeting underscored population stabilisation as a central economic and development priority and called for stronger, sustained public investment in family planning and broader social sectors.

Country Director Population Council Dr Ali Mir stressed that health and education funding were essential investments in the future of the country. He also underscored the role of culturally grounded approaches, noting that “birth spacing is consistent with Islamic teachings where maternal and child health are concerned”.

Presenting key evidence, Manager Communication, Population Council, Ikram ul Ahad highlighted the disconnect between demographic trends and public financing priorities.

He observed that “Pakistan continues to grow at around 2.5 per cent annually, yet investment in population welfare remains a very small share of the public budget compared with other countries in the region.”

Emphasising accountability, he urged that “data must be used more effectively to hold duty-bearers accountable to national commitments, including the CCI target of reducing fertility to replacement level.”

He further noted that “family planning is among the most cost-effective public investments, with clear returns for health, economic stability, and human development.”

Providing a macroeconomic perspective, Senior Economic Adviser Ammar Ali Qureshi framed population stabilisation as a strategic imperative.

“Population stabilisation is not merely a demographic concern, it is a macroeconomic necessity,” he said, adding that “the country’s declining economic trajectory reflects the combined pressures of rapid population growth and structural economic challenges”.

He emphasised that “education, particularly of girls, and women’s economic participation were decisive levers for reducing fertility and unlocking long-term growth.”

Participants from across the country, representing leading national and local media outlets, highlighted governance, financing and service delivery gaps affecting population and development outcomes.

Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2026