PM forms National Population Council to address growing population

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday constituted the National Population Council (NPC) to formulate national-level policies and oversee efforts to address Pakistan’s growing population through an integrated strategy.

According to a government notification, the prime minister will chair the council. Its members include the chief ministers of the four provinces, the prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.

The council will also comprise the federal ministers for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives; Finance and Revenue; Federal Education and Professional Training; Law and Justice; Information and Broadcasting; Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony; and National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination.

The National Population Council has been tasked with setting the country’s overall policy direction and strategic priorities on population issues and building national consensus on population stabilisation.

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The council will review progress against agreed national and provincial indicators, oversee the implementation of the National Population Stabilisation Programme and other related strategies, and ensure effective coordination between the federal and provincial governments.

It will also work to remove inter-governmental and cross-sectoral bottlenecks affecting implementation, including issues related to financing, data, supply chains and human resources.

In addition, the council will direct the integration of population objectives into health, education, social protection, economic and development planning, while promoting engagement with religious scholars, civil society, the private sector and development partners to build public awareness and consensus.

The council will receive periodic monitoring reports and issue policy directions where necessary. It will meet twice a year or more frequently if convened by the prime minister.

Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had said that maintaining a balance between population growth and available resources was essential for sustainable development.

He described the country’s rapidly growing population as a major challenge that was placing increasing pressure on national resources.