ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday described rapid population growth and climate change as two of Pakistan’s biggest long-term challenges, warning that the country could fall short of its development potential unless both issues are addressed through sustained reforms and coordinated action.
Speaking at the World Population Day 2026 conference, the minister said the government’s efforts had progressed from the National Population Stabilisation Plan to the National Population Council, bringing together federal and provincial governments, as well as civil and military leadership, to improve implementation.
“We have long understood the ‘what’ and the ‘why.’ The real challenge is the ‘how’ and the ‘who’,” he said, adding that the council would work through clear targets, key performance indicators (KPIs) and regular performance reviews.
Aurangzeb assured the Ministry of Health of the Finance Ministry’s continued support, saying measurable outcomes were essential for effective policymaking.
He said while governments often focus on short-term budget priorities, issues such as population growth and climate change require long-term planning.
“If we fail to address these two existential challenges, Pakistan will not achieve its true potential by the time it marks its centenary in 2047,” he warned.
Highlighting recent policy measures, the finance minister said the government had removed sales tax on contraceptives in the latest federal budget to improve affordability and support family planning efforts.
He also called for reforms to the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, noting that population currently accounts for around 82 percent of the resource distribution formula among provinces.
Describing the existing formula as unsustainable, Aurangzeb said future NFC discussions should consider revising the weight given to population.
The minister said public funding alone would not be enough to meet the country’s population challenges. He noted that the World Bank’s 10-year Country Partnership Framework includes population as one of its three priority areas, with an estimated $600-700 million annually available to support population-related programmes, including girls’ education and efforts to reduce child stunting.
Aurangzeb also praised the nationwide birth-spacing awareness campaign, calling it an important initiative for changing public attitudes. He highlighted the role of the media in raising awareness and stressed the importance of girls’ education, referring to a recent visit to a school run by Shehzad Roy’s Zindagi Trust in Karachi.
Citing the examples of Bangladesh, Iran and Indonesia, the finance minister said these countries successfully reduced population growth over the past decade by investing in girls’ education, increasing women’s participation in the workforce and engaging religious scholars in awareness campaigns.
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