Prime Minister Forms National Population Council
On 3rd July 2026, the Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives issued a notification announcing the formation of a National Population Council, chaired by the Prime Minister. The council includes the Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces, four provincial chief ministers, the Prime Minister of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, the Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, and federal ministers for planning, finance, health, education, law, information, and religious affairs. This is arguably the most powerful body ever assembled to address Pakistan's population challenge.
Unmet Need for Contraception
Pakistan's population exceeds 259 million, making it the fifth most populous country globally, with an intercensal growth rate of roughly 2.55%. According to Dr. Rakhshinda Perveen, writing in The Friday Times, one in six married women who want to delay or avoid pregnancy are still not using any method of contraception. This gap results in millions of unsafe abortions annually and preventable maternal deaths. Dr. Perveen had previously called for high-level leadership, suggesting the Chief of Army Staff prioritize the issue.
Human Development as the Solution
Dr. Perveen argues that family planning is fundamentally a human development problem, not merely a supply issue. She states, "Human development is the best contraception." When girls stay in school, young people have economic prospects, and couples can marry without crushing dowry demands, birth rates fall naturally. The council must treat population stabilization as an investment in human capital, not a demographic accounting exercise.
Call to Empower Youth
Dr. Perveen urges the Field Marshal to use his convening power to empower Pakistan's youth to make informed reproductive choices and ensure dignified access to high-quality contraceptives. She criticizes the current system for not taking the dignity or choices of girls and young couples seriously, leading to unmet need.
Addressing Perverse Incentives
She also highlights perverse incentives in the health system, noting that obstetricians and midwives earn more from delivering babies and conducting abortions than from providing family planning services. "Family planning stewardship needs champions whose interest lies in fewer unintended pregnancies, not more procedures," she writes. The council has the authority to change this by treating population stabilization as a human development agenda and confronting these incentive structures.
Hope for the Future
Dr. Perveen remains hopeful that the National Population Council will drive meaningful change, emphasizing that Pakistan's problem is not overpopulation but the management of population and investments in its people.
