Population explosion: Opening the flood gates for Pakistan.

Population explosion in current scenario, has remained a back-burner issue for Pakistan. According to the World’s population, as for now, global population has reached almost 7.5 billion and the prediction by University Of Washington says that it will increase up to 9.6 billion by 2064. The contribution of Pakistan in Population bulge will be immense, which is worrying situation for developing state specifically. As per the PBS (Pakistan Bureau of Statistics) reports, Pakistan is on fifth position having 222 million population collectively, with 2.4 percent annual population growth rate.

Moreover, this is becoming plight for Pakistan because majority of the people in the state are between the ages of 25-34 years, considered as youth. This situation is instigating trouble to Pakistan as it has no resources to facilitate them and jobs to entertain all. One of the biggest issues owing to the plight of population bulge is Urbanization. As we know, in 21^st century, purchasing power of people has now precipitously spiked. Particularly young people, unable to find employment opportunities in small towns and villages, are forced or inclined to move to cities. In connection with, resources are already stunted and government is by this time facing the brunt of other major political and economic dilemmas. Hence, currently no development is taking place which might help to address these issue and the way out. Therefore, people are facing massive unemployment and due to no new formation of cities and new developments, there are more than 20 percent of Pakistanis living in ten major cities. A famous saying of a Renowned Philosopher addresses the matter that ‘one problem if not addressed, gives birth to dozen of new problems. Thus crime rates, inflation, poverty and other difficulties are on surge.

However, this bugbear situation of population bulge can be solved by two methods. First is to restart the traditional family planning scheme and more women should be instated in it. Secondly, by generating job opportunities and bringing women to work force too. In connection with, Government should generate jobs by regulating money for development of infrastructure (Keynes model).

Yet, these are bare minimum a country must do to put its population into effective use. In my view, providing opportunities to youth is best applicable either Government generating jobs or Bank granting loans for people to start businesses. In a nutshell, population explosion, a bitter reality, is hampering the country’s growth and unsettling the very resources of Pakistan, which the government at the crossroads should address scrupulously. 

 AUTHOR: UMAR KHAWAJA