Pakistan Forms High-Level Council to Tackle Rapid Population Growth

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued a notification establishing the National Population Council (NPC) to coordinate population-management policy. The council is chaired by the prime minister and includes Chief of Defence Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, the four provincial chief ministers, the chief ministers of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, and federal ministers responsible for planning, finance, education, law, information, religious affairs, and health. The council will meet at least twice a year and may be convened more frequently as needed.

PM Shehbaz and Field Marshal Asim Munir to Lead to Reduce Population in Pakistan

During a joint Senate meeting of the Standing Committee on National Health Services and the Functional Committee on Human Rights, Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal highlighted that 82 % of the current National Finance Commission (NFC) Award is allocated on the basis of population, creating a fiscal incentive for provinces to sustain higher birth rates. The government has proposed reducing the population-weightage to 50 %. Kamal also noted that Pakistan records roughly 6.7 million births annually and that expanding access to contraceptives—now tax-exempt—could lower that figure by about 1.5 million each year.

Express Tribune

The health minister asserted that the issue is being treated with “the highest priority” and that “major decisions are being made at every level.” A representative of the Council of Islamic Ideology told the committee that there is “no sectarian disagreement on measures aimed at addressing rapid population growth.” The Ministry of Law reminded legislators that, under the 18th Constitutional Amendment, population welfare is a devolved subject, limiting Parliament’s ability to legislate directly.

Dawn

Committee members questioned whether the devolution of population-welfare responsibilities to provinces would impede the implementation of nationwide reforms. Law ministry officials confirmed that any legislation must respect provincial jurisdiction, creating a potential gap between federal policy proposals and provincial execution.

Dawn

• “The government is treating this issue with the highest priority and important policy decisions are being taken at every level,” — Syed Mustafa Kamal, Federal Health Minister

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• “If a province succeeds in reducing its population growth, its NFC share declines, whereas a province with a larger population receives more funds,” — Syed Mustafa Kamal, Federal Health Minister

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• “A representative of the Council of Islamic Ideology told the meeting there was no sectarian disagreement on measures aimed at addressing rapid population growth.” — Representative, Council of Islamic Ideology

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• “He said the government was taking the issue seriously and major decisions were being made at every level.” — Syed Mustafa Kamal, Health Minister

Express Tribune

The NPC is slated to reconvene within days, and another joint Senate meeting has been scheduled to advance consensus-building on the proposed reforms.

Express Tribune