NFC reform urged to keep population from burgeoning

The cross-party consensus emerged during a pre-budget session of the Parliamentary Forum on Population (PFP), which convened more than 40 parliamentarians from federal and provincial legislatures to translate political commitments on population stabilisation into concrete budgetary action. The session was organised by the Pop­ulation Council with support from the Uni­­­ted Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Senator Sherry Rehman, chairperson of the PFP, underscored the gravity of the issue while chairing the session, calling for stronger political ownership across all legislatures. “Population is a ticking time bomb for every resource this country generates,” Rehman said. Senator Rehman warned that Pakistan is headed towards a population explosion that threatens basic rights and the country’s long-term sustainability. “Our population is projected to reach 390 million by 2050, an alarming 62 per cent increase. By then, 256 million people will be in the job market, more than our existing total population,” she said, adding, “This is no longer a demographic dividend; it has become a demographic drag.” Rehman highlighted the direct im­­pact on human welfare, noting that 40pc of children under five are stunted due to chronic malnourishment and 42pc of the population lives below the poverty line. “Forty per cent stunting should be enough of a wake-up call for all of us,” she said. “We defend many frontiers as a nation, but these are our real trenches.” She called for t