Punjab Minister for Population Welfare Dr. Jamal Nasir emphasized the necessity of raising awareness about family planning among the rural population and ensuring easy access to necessary facilities.
He addressed the closing session of the 24th annual conference organized by the Population Association of Pakistan as the chief guest on Friday. Dr. Nasir stressed the importance of gaining support from religious scholars to dispel misconceptions about population planning, highlighting a consensus among them regarding the need for appropriate intervals between children to enhance the health of both mother and child.
Expressing concern about Pakistan’s rapidly growing population, the minister cited the alarming implications on poverty, unemployment, and social issues resulting from the imbalance of population and resources. He pointed out the challenges posed by climate change and population growth, noting the adverse effects on agriculture, forests, biodiversity, and food cultivation in the country. Dr. Nasir warned that failure to control population growth would lead to severe impacts on food production, water scarcity, and overall environmental sustainability.
Highlighting the need for collective efforts from all societal stakeholders, the minister emphasized the importance of implementing effective population management policies and programs.
He lamented the historical neglect of population welfare and environmental sectors, asserting that these areas cannot be overlooked when planning future development projects. Dr. Nasir stressed the significance of financial resources, effective planning, and a clear roadmap to achieve population management objectives. He assured that the Population Welfare department would allocate necessary resources to empower people to actively engage in family planning. The event was also attended by Director General of the Population Welfare department, Punjab, Ms. SamanRai and addressed by President of the association Dr. Nasira Shah, Rector of FCC University Dr. Jonathan, Minhaj-ul-Haq, Dr. ZahirGul, and others.
