Our runaway population

Our runaway population

Estimated to cross 300 million by 2040, Pakistan’s population growth threatens to negate all its endeavors for economic and social progress and its hopes of becoming a peaceful and prosperous country.  While it ought to have  been the first and the foremost priority of the state to manage and control this ticking time bomb, there is little to show even the slightest movement in this direction.  As concerned citizens we believe that the state has completely failed to appreciate, understand and implement an effective and multipronged strategy to grapple with this threat.

Conducting a few meetings once or twice a year, followed by little or no actions, can only placate official files, but not be the solution of any problem.  There is already enough information known on this subject and enough role models such as Iran and Bangladesh available. Why must Pakistan continue to remain oblivious and  unresponsive to even notice, much less respond to this  fundamental and crucial crisis.  I appeal and urge the policy makers to forget all differences and collectively push for reducing the Total Fertility Rate from 3.6 to 2.1.  Permit me to quote from Iqbal,

​از خواب گران خواب گران خواب گران خیز

Naeem Sadiq