LAKKI MARWAT, Dec 1: The growing imbalance between resource generation and population increase is a major cause of poverty, joblessness and poor state of economy, said speakers at a seminar here on Friday.

The seminar on ‘impact of increasing population on socio-economic development’ was organised by the population welfare department. Government Postgraduate College principal Prof Sher Azam Khan was the chief guest.

Highlighting the negative impact of population increase on economy, district population welfare officer Nazar Jan Marwat said that future generations would inherit a vulnerable economy, lawlessness, unemployment and poverty if prompt measures were not taken to halt the unbridled increase in the population growth rate.

Other speakers underlined the need for a comprehensive plan to ensure a better future generation and wellbeing of youths.

They said that the country had made progress over the past 57 years but people could not reap its fruit owing to a big increase in its population.

They called upon students to play their role in creating awareness among people at the grassroots level about the hazardous effects of increasing population on the pace of development.

"By bringing the resources and population of the country on a par with each other we can enable the government to create more jobs and provide education, health care and other facilities to people in a better way," they said.