Ahsan Iqbal Warns Rapid Population Growth Is Undermining Pakistan's Economic Gains

Federal Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has warned that Pakistan's rapid population growth is absorbing roughly half of the country's economic gains, turning what should be steady progress into a national emergency. He urged federal and provincial authorities to adopt a coordinated strategy that aligns population growth with the country's available resources.

Addressing the first meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Population Council, Iqbal said the national growth rate had gradually declined to 2.4 percent from 1980 onward but rose again to 2.55 percent in the 2023 census. He described the reversal as deeply concerning, saying the country had effectively eased off the brake and stepped on the accelerator.

The minister stressed that population figures are more than statistics, reflecting critical questions about the country's future, its children and the sustainability of national resources. He explained that if the economy expands by 5 percent while the population grows by 2.5 percent, real per capita growth amounts to only about 2.5 percent. Controlling population growth, he added, is essential to meeting rising demand for education, health care, employment and basic services.

Iqbal also pointed to a structural contradiction in how national resources are distributed, noting that linking 82 percent of resource allocation to population size creates incentives that may encourage further growth. He called for the National Finance Commission Award to be tied to development and sustainability indicators, so that provinces maintaining more balanced population growth are rewarded.

He said the challenge extends beyond health care and family planning, requiring greater attention to girls' education, women's economic empowerment and broader social awareness. A national effort spanning health services, education, community outreach and shifts in social attitudes is needed to bring population growth under control, he added.

Iqbal called on federal and provincial governments to treat population growth as a national emergency and to develop a unified strategy, describing the issue as central to Pakistan's economic security, its development targets and the future of coming generations.