ISLAMABAD: The 17th meeting of the Parliamentary Forum on Population (PFP) brought together parliamentarians from the Senate, National Assembly, provincial assemblies and the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly to discuss concrete measures to address population challenges.
Convened by the Population Council with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the meeting focused on strengthening parliamentary leadership, improving accountability and translating national commitments into action.
Senator Sherry Rehman, chairperson of the PFP, emphasised the need for sustained parliamentary ownership and greater public awareness.
“Addressing Pakistan’s population challenges requires sustained parliamentary leadership, stronger oversight and coordinated action across federal and provincial governments,” she said.
She highlighted the role of lady health workers and local governments in reaching communities and called for public awareness campaigns through television, radio and digital platforms.
She also stressed that rapid population growth contributed to child stunting, food insecurity, and poor maternal and child nutrition by placing increasing pressure on household resources, public services and food systems.
Delivering the keynote address, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal underscored the need to integrate population considerations into national development planning.
He highlighted the importance of girls’ education, women’s empowerment and coordinated action between the federal and provincial governments, noting that Pakistan’s population growth rate had increased from 2.4pc in 2017 to 2.55pc in 2023.
MNA Dr Farooq Sattar, vice chairperson of the PFP, called for parliament and provincial assemblies to play a more active role in legislation, oversight and implementation.
He emphasised the importance of engaging local governments and strengthening accountability to ensure that population-related commitments translated into practical action at the community level.
In his remarks, Syed Naveed Qamar, chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, stressed the need to translate national commitments into a practical and accountable framework.
“Pakistan needs a clear, time-bound plan of action backed by provincial ownership, adequate budget allocations and effective monitoring,” he said, calling for coordinated efforts by the federal and provincial governments to achieve measurable progress.
In his welcome remarks, Dr Ali Mohammad Mir, country director of the Population Council Pakistan, highlighted the PFP’s role in promoting evidence-informed policymaking and parliamentary accountability.
“The Parliamentary Forum on Population provides an important platform to strengthen parliamentary oversight, provide evidence-informed recommendations to the government, and hold institutions accountable for action,”Dr Mir said.
Dr Luay Shabaneh, UNFPA representative in Pakistan, also underscored the importance of parliamentary leadership and coordinated action in addressing the country’s population challenges.
He emphasised the need to translate national commitments into concrete measures that advance sustainable development and improve the well-being of families.
Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2026
