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Pakistan is on the brink of a demographic disaster, experts cautioned at the conclusion of the Pakistan Population Summit on Tuesday, warning that the country''s unchecked population growth is rapidly outpacing its available resources. The two-day event featured government officials, scholars, and civil society leaders who described the issue as an "existential crisis" demanding urgent national attention and coordinated reform, as reported by The Express Tribune.
According to The Express Tribune, speakers at the summit called for a unified, cross-institutional approach to population management, emphasising that the crisis now threatens Pakistan''s healthcare system, food and water security, labour market, education infrastructure, and overall urban sustainability. They said that without decisive action, the population surge would soon render many development efforts meaningless. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, in his address, admitted that "the constitutional right to life is being eroded by an unsustainable population increase that heavily burdens maternal, neonatal, and reproductive health services." He proposed the formation of a parliamentary committee, a national charter on population control, and a multi-stakeholder working group to pursue comprehensive reforms. Tarar also highlighted that "religion does not obstruct family planning" and urged that mental health issues, including postpartum depression, be addressed as part of reproductive health discussions, a point that resonated strongly with the participants. Religious and legal scholars echoed this sentiment, offering rare consensus. Dr Raghib Naeemi, Chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology, stated that "protecting life and lineage is a core objective of Shariah," and endorsed birth spacing within Islamic principles, as cited by The Express Tribune. Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad described population management as a "collective moral duty," while Mufti Zubair Ashraf Usmani clarified that Islam supports birth spacing for health reasons rather than fear of poverty. Legal expert Humaira Masihuddin called for "greater inclusion of women in decision-making positions," stressing that empowerment and education of women were central to managing Pakistan''s population challenge, as reported by The Express Tribune. (ANI)
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