KARACHI: Despite spending huge amounts for the cause Pakistan is still unable to control the population growth rate. Pakistan is the 6th largest populated country in the world now. The population growth rate 2.1 percent as compare to Pakistan, China India and Bangladesh have controlled their population.
The first World Population Day was marked on July 11, 1990. According to the UN website, by resolution 45/216 of December 1990, the United Nations General Assembly took a decision to continue observing World Population Day in a bid to encourage awareness of population issues, including their relations to the environment and development in partnership with governments and civil society. The first World Population Day was observed in 90 countries.
This day focuses on the urgency and the importance of population issues in the world.
The World Population Day theme for this year is ‘Family Planning: Empowering People, Developing Nations’. 11th of July 2017, this year, marks 17 years of World Population Day. The theme this year aims at providing safe, voluntary family planning. The UNFPA website mentions this year’s World Population Day is also central to gender equality and women’s empowerment and is a key factor in reducing poverty.
According to the UN website the world population has crossed more then seven billion as in 1950 the population was only 2.5 billion , the population growing rapidly is creating problems as well as making life difficult for others. The aim is to celebrate this day is not to tackle the population but to make people aware if the rapid growth of population would keep on increasing on the same rate the next generations will suffer.
Pakistan’s population figures are according to estimates is around 200 million according to United Nations report . In 1972, Pakistan’s population was 7million less than Bangladesh’s, in 2015 it surpassed Bangladesh’s population by about 30million. As per sources the recent census in Pakistan the population has crossed 300 million while Karachi’s population is 30 million. The population of Pakistan and the rate at which it is increasing has reached levels that are considered ‘high risk’.
Dr. Shahid Hasan Siddiqui, a banker of International repute and an eminent economist said that “8000 billion rupees are lost annually due to corruption; Pakistan is at 117th rank out of 168 in world corruption index by Amnesty International.” Pakistan GDP rate is 4.7% the lowest among all its neighbors, he added
He also informed Daily Times that Pakistan ranked 142nd in the human development index. Unfortunately, he said that national economy was estimated to be exposed to an annual loss of Rs600 billion due to corruption and luxuries. Instead of focusing to over come population we ought to eliminate corruption.
As we see a poor man on the street would tell you that life has changed due to a rapid increase in abadi, there is no equal visible priority given to the population. All facilitates are for the powerful and the elite. As far as the poor people are concerned they have no right to live. Life is for the powerful man only he can do what he wants? What population day is, it’s just nothing. Policies to tackle a macro-level problem, but one posing a huge burden of distress to families, in every matter less-privileged people are ignored. The absolute growth of the numbers of uneducated, unskilled, less-privileged Pakistanis are being added in millions each year.
“We should know what our responsibilities are in order to progress in a positive way. Everyone knows that health, education, empowerment, employment and terrorism are all linked to poverty and population is the only reason of poverty” said Dr Kamal Ray .
According to him, most criminals are born out of poverty. “If the parents have no resources, our youth will fall into ill-health, illiteracy and terrorism,” he added. The civil society should also act positive. The Sindh government should also draw a comprehensive policy to overcome the population rates, he added.
To create awareness among the people about global population issues various programs and ceremonies, including seminars, conferences and discussions, should be arranged both by public and private organizations highlighting the importance of small families in relation with poverty, maternal health and human rights.
Published in Daily Times, July 11th , 2017.