Daily Times

Population means all the inhabitants of a particular place. Population growth means an increase in the number of people that reside in a city, state or country. It is the increase in the number of individuals in a population. One may argue that it has several benefits such as it increases economic growth because of the demand and supply principle. The abundant labour force runs the wheel of the economy. Further, more tax-payers mean more income for the state.

Human resources, when converted into human capital, prove to be a holistic development of a country.

Unfortunately, for developing countries, like Pakistan, it is a blessing in disguise. In the myriad of challenges like economic development, poverty, inflation, unemployment, low literacy rate, hunger, scarcity of water, low standard of living, low per capita income, the population explosion is considered to be one of the stimuli behind these problems. So, it is not a reason to be proud of, rather a cause of concern for Pakistan. The population explosion has its adverse impacts. Several reasons are involved in it. Therefore, it needs to be controlled with an iron will.

The world population reached the mark of its first billion in 1804, the second in 1927, the third in 1960, the fourth in 1974, the fifth in 1987, the sixth in 1999 and the seventh in 2011.

While Pakistan had a population of 33 million in 1950 and today, it is around 210 million. It has ranked us sixth most populous country after China, India, the US, Indonesia and Brazil. In terms of land area, Pakistan is 34th and shares 0.6 per cent of the world area. In terms of Human Development Indicators, it had 150th position in the world until 2018. Further, Pakistan also has the highest population growth rate at around 1.90 per cent. It shares 2.81 per cent of the total world population, wherein 34.9 per cent of its population is urban. Each family in Pakistan on average has 3.1 children. If the population of the country continues to grow at the same rate (1.90 per cent), it is likely to double in the next 37 years, making Pakistan the third most populous country of the world, whereas land area will remain the same rather become reduced due to residential plans.

There are several reasons for the population explosion. The foremost reason is the illiteracy because the literacy rate still stands around 62 per cent in the year 2017-2018. The illiterates are unable to understand the inflation, economy and expenditures, which are rising day by day; from domestic to national level; from basic education to the university expenses. Eventually, their offsprings remain uneducated, and the vicious cycle of population growth remains intact.

Secondly, science and obsolete customs also play their due role in population growth. With the help of maternity centres, modern medicines and separate child clinics, the infant’s mortality rate gets increased. In addition to the high fertility rate in Pakistan, which is around 3.73 per cent in 2019, polygamy also contributes. Although it is an offence if the husband marries again without the permission and informing the existing wife, the practice is visible, both in urban and rural areas. The wish of a baby boy is another customary factor in this regard because of the patriarchal nature of our society. Families often give birth to six girls just to have one boy.

Moreover, the overall gradual betterment in living standard and life is also an important factor. The development, roads, hospitals, access to medicine; an effort to seek clean water supply to drink, better and safe food; the flood control, pleasant environment and social stability as well as the eradication of life-threatening diseases like malaria, polio, dengue fever also aid in population growth.

The adverse consequences of population explosion are also numerous. More population means more mouths to be fulfilled. With the growth of humans, each institution dealing with them, such as school, colleges, universities, hospitals, shops, agriculture, markets, houses, and other social facilities, is compelled to be increased. Eventually, the limited resources and paucity of these facilities generate unproductive citizens with an inclination towards social evils. Resultantly, the crime ratio gets increased.

Human resources, when converted into human capital, prove to be a holistic development of a country

Also, population growth badly affects the economy of a country. It results in the decline of per capita income and the purchasing power of the citizens. And when demand diminishes, as per the demand and supply principle, the investment also declines. Consequently, unemployment, which leads towards poverty, becomes the fate of the downtrodden of society.

It also has negative impacts on the agriculture side. With more than 60 per cent population depending on agriculture, under-limited yield rate and shortage of water, as well as the havoc of flooding and droughts, are leading towards a situation when input may surpass the output. The small farmer is already under the burden of debt and labour. He barely lives from hands-to-mouth. So, an increase in the numbers of his family makes him more meagre and miserable.

The honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan has also highlighted the issue in its judgment, published in 2019 SCMR on page 247. The court formulated a Task Force, which recommends that National and Provincial Task Force comprising of Prime Minister, Chief Ministers and all population ministers be formed to take critical decisions to reduce population growth rate. Further, to ensure all public and private family hospitals should start counselling of the families’ patients. A fund with an annual allocation of Rs 10 billion be set up in this regard.

Legislation should be passed from parliament. A national narrative must be built through a campaign.

Further, the court also recommends using the curriculum, training, contraceptive measures, and above all, the support of Ulema.

Under these circumstances, as the handwriting is on the wall, it is high time for the concerned authorities to gird up their loins with an iron will to impede the menace of population explosion from its mushroom growth.

To conclude, Pakistan is today standing at the crossroads. It will either perish forever or will emerge as a stronger nation. What are needed are a vision and sincere leadership that could transform dreams into reality. The problem of overpopulation has now started to haunt us and unless we tackle it pragmatically our dream of a bright and glorious future will just remain a pious wish. It needs a multipronged attack to deal with overpopulation. A strong Pakistan should be our priority and if we have to make certain hard decisions for its accomplishment no one should hesitate to lead and pull the trigger. Indeed, Pakistan comes first even before our vested interests.

Lastly, as our government already recognised the potential of existing young population, 60 per cent of the total; a big labour force; a big market and all of their benefits, which those countries feel and must be utilised.

They must be converted into human capital so that the current population proves to be a blessing for Pakistan.

The writer is an advocate of the High Court and teaches law