Zubair Qureshi Islamabad
While acknowledging the critical link between population welfare and economic development, Dr. Aisha Ghaus Pasha, former Minister of State for Finance has emphasized the need for integrating rapid population growth with economic strategies to steer Pakistan out of its current economic challenges.
Speaking at the 9th meeting of the Parliamentary Forum on Population (PFP), Dr Aisha Ghaus Pasha highlighted the imperative of effective utilization 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 prioritize 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 programs and their integration into social safety networks. She emphasized the necessity for bold legislation, proper implementation, and accountability to achieve sustainable population growth and improve development indicators.
Former Federal Minister for Climate Change, Senator Sherry Rehman emphasized accurate data gathering and the use of digital technology to provide healthcare, including family planning, services to remote marginalized communities.Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Secretary General of PFP, 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 Farhat Ullah Babar emphasized 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, Population Council, urged political parties to include population planning and family planning as priorities in their election manifestos. She emphasized the critical role of political leadership in providing family planning services to the poorest segments of society and improving their quality and accessibility. Dr. Sathar highlighted the human rights aspect of family planning services and its impact on education and maternal health.
