ISLAMABAD: Acknowledging the critical link between population welfare and economic development, former state minister for finance Dr Aisha Ghaus Pasha emphasised the necessity of integrating rapid population growth with economic strategies to steer Pakistan out of its current economic challenges.

Speaking at the ninth meeting of the Parliamentary Forum on Population (PFP), the former minister highlighted the imperative of effective utilisation of allocated funds for family planning services at the provincial level to enhance quality and accessibility.

Dr Luay Shabaneh, country representative of UNFPA Pakistan, commended the bipartisan consensus at the meeting and urged parliamentarians to prioritise addressing rapid population growth. He reaffirmed UNFPA’s commitment to supporting Pakistan in fulfilling its obligations regarding sustainable population growth.

Senator Dr Sania Nishtar stressed the importance of effective governance of family planning programmes and their integration into social safety networks. She emphasised the necessity for bold legislation, proper implementation, and accountability to achieve sustainable population growth and improve development indicators.

Former climate change minister Senator Sherry Rehman emphasised the need for accurate data gathering and use of digital technology to provide healthcare, including family planning, services to remote marginalised communities.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed appreciated the commitment of participants to the population agenda and stressed the forum’s role in engaging parliament as a stakeholder in population planning targets.

Former senator Farhatullah Babar emphasised the importance of female education and empowerment as fundamental to achieving sustainable population growth. He highlighted the need to address the current pace of population growth to effectively provide education and soft skills to the youth, ensuring a secure and prosperous future.

Speakers underscored the significance of empowering women through education, access to healthcare, skill development, and increased employment and income generation opportunities.

Senator Taj Haider called for revisiting the National Finance Commission (NFC) and separating population considerations from the distribution of divisible pool resources among provinces. He stressed the importance of fulfilling people’s right to family planning and highlighted its impact on other human rights enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan.

Dr Zeba Sathar, country director of the population council, urged political parties to include population planning and family planning as priorities in their election manifestoes. She emphasised the critical role of political leadership in providing family planning services to the poorest segments of society and improving their quality and accessibility. She highlighted the human rights aspect of family planning services and its impact on education and maternal health.

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2023