HARIPUR, Jan 26: Federal Minister for Population and Social Welfare Chaudhry Shahbaz Ahmad said on Tuesday the government had embarked on a plan to bring down the birth rate from 1.9 per cent to 1.3pc by 2020.

Talking to journalists here, he said the unchecked population growth was the root cause of all socio-economic problems in the country. "The available resources in the country can only cater for the needs of 80 million people, but we are 150 million. Pragmatic and effective measures are needed to arrest this trend," the minister stressed.

He said that policymakers in the past had focused on the development of womenfolk alone, but the present government had decided to involve all stakeholders, particularly teachers and prayer-leaders, in the process.

He said 12,000 imams across the country were being trained to create awareness among people about the benefits of a small family. "We are also planning to educate students on the merits of small family."

Chaudhry Shahbaz said that an international conference of ulema would be held in the country in March to discuss the issue and added that scholars from Iran, Bangladesh and other Muslim countries were expected to participate in the conference.

He said the government had trained Lady Health Workers (LHWs) to arrest the mortality rate and added that the number of LHWs would be doubled. In reply to a question about the situation along the Line of Control, he said India had not responded to Pakistan's efforts for confidence-building measures.

"India took our sincere efforts for lasting peace as our weakness which is not correct," the minister said. He, however, expressed the hope that quiet diplomacy initiated by the people of the two countries would deliver one day. Answering a question, he reiterated that the local bodies elections would be held in April on the non-party basis.