Population explosion: A looming threat
THE world’s population was around one billion in 1850. By 1950, only a century later, it had surpassed the 2 billion mark. Just 50 years ago, the population was around 6.8 billion, and U. S Census Bureau, 2010 projected it to reach over 9 billion by 2050. For Pakistan, the figures are astonishing and disturbing. Back in 1950, Pakistan stood 14th in the world in terms of population growth. It took only 71 years for her to become the fifth most populous country in the world. The population of Pakistan is equivalent to 2.9 percent of the world’s population. Many hazardous results are associated with the massive growth of the population in Pakistan. First, because of the unchecked population growth, intercity migration has gained momentum in Pakistan. As Pakistan has uneven development patterns in urban areas, the burgeoning population compels people to migrate to urban areas that offer a superior lifestyle. The towering population invokes schism within societies. It also provides a breeding ground for slums. Such informal settlements become an epicenter of poverty and crime.
Moreover, the rising population is creating more burdens for our education sector. Pakistan has the world’s second-highest number of out-of-school children, with almost 22.8 million children aged 5- 6 years not attending school, according to a report by UNESCO. Besides it, Pakistan’s healthcare sector is also under immense pressure because of the sharp spike in population. The terrifying fact is that we are still battling polio when almost all the lands in the world have victoriously defeated this virus.
The poor health status of the population further piles up the burden on the national exchequer. Besides, the Human Development Index Report 2020 (HDI), ranks Pakistan 154th out of 189 countries. The large surplus labor pool of Pakistan has become an impediment to achieving a sustained growth rate because of its mostly compromised skill sets. Additionally, towering population growth is ballooning youth bulge. Population control is necessary to invest in education, health, and the industrial sector to spur sustainable growth by enhancing HDI.
Our fast-multiplying population is a serious threat to the agricultural sector. Owing to the increase in the demand for housing and industry, expanding population not only eats away agricultural land but also demands increased production of food. According to a Pakistan Bureau of Statistics report, 16% of the population is enduring moderate or severe food insecurity in Pakistan. The global hunger index has ranked Pakistan at 92nd position out of 116 nations. The theory of Malthusianism is relevant in this context. It states that population growth is exponential while the growth of the food supply or other resources is linear, which decreases living standards to the point of triggering a population die-off. In addition, overpopulation in Pakistan has amplified the ill effects of deforestation because of rapid industrialization and urbanization. According to World Wildlife Fund, only 5.7 percent of land in Pakistan is under forest cover and the country’s deforestation rate is the second highest in Asia, after Afghanistan. It also adds up greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere.
The intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) recognizes population as one factor in greenhouse gas emissions. Pakistan has some of the most polluted cities in the world; the concentration of the population in a few major cities is the reason. According to estimates from the WHO Global Health Observatory, about 200 fatalities per 100 000 inhabitants are because of environmental factors in the country. As the human footprint has reached farther and farther in quest of urbanization and industrialization, we are forcing wildlife species to squash up into ever smaller habitats, endangering their survival. Many biologists link the extinction of wildlife to the extinction of societies on Earth. It drives us to the point that the population growth of our country is inviting myriad challenges of varying intensity. Pakistan needs to implement robust reforms to save itself from succumbing to the pressure of the growing population. In this regard, we should educate our people regarding the advantages of having smaller families.
It is only through knowledge that people will recognise the severity of the matter to help the government in tackling this hazard. Women’s empowerment can be effective as it can significantly help restrain the population growth rate of the country. Enhancing the literacy level can help us achieve the desired goal of population control. We need to take lessons from the examples of Singapore and China: the countries that adopted two-child and one-child policies to overcome the devastating effects of population rise. The citizens of Pakistan need to understand that, to conclude destitution and disparity in the country, population regulation is the initial step. It is critical to have a meaningful debate on family planning. Our resources are depleting fast, our cities are becoming increasingly populated and polluted, and our environment is getting deteriorated day by day; there seems no relief in sight. Pakistan is already overwhelmed with multiple problems and the population growth is only intensifying the gravity of other difficulties, such as poverty, climate change, illiteracy, and social deterioration. Unless we make it a priority to deal with the emerging threat of a burgeoning population, we will fail to address the social and economic woes Pakistan is facing today.
——The writer is contributing columnist, based in Rawalpindi.
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