NFC reform urged to keep population from burgeoning
• Lawmakers push to end over-reliance on population for funding; suggest tying resource distribution to human development metrics • Demographic dividend has become a demographic drag, says Sherry • UN official says family planning a ‘sound economic investment’ ISLAMABAD: Lawmakers across the political spectrum emphasised an urgent need to reform the NFC formula by reducing its over-reliance on population as a metric and take decisive action to address rapid population growth ahead of the 2026-27 federal budget. The cross-party consensus emerged during a pre-budget session of the Parliamentary Forum on Population (PFP), which convened more than 40 parliamentarians from federal and provincial legislatures to translate political commitments on population stabilisation into concrete budgetary action. The session was organised by the Population Council with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Senator Sherry Rehman, chairperson of the PFP, underscored the gravity of the issue while chairing the session, calling for stronger political ownership across all legislatures. “Population is a ticking time bomb for every resource this country generates,” Rehman said. Senator Rehman warned that Pakistan is headed towards a population explosion that threatens basic rights and the country’s long-term sustainability. “Our population is projected to reach 390 million by 2050, an alarming 62 per cent increase. By then, 256 million people will be in the job market, more than our existing total population,” she said, adding, “This is no longer a demographic dividend; it has become a demographic drag.” Rehman highlighted the direct impact on human welfare, noting that 40pc of children under five are stunted due to chronic malnourishment and 42pc of the population lives below the poverty line. “Forty per cent stunting should be enough of a wake-up call for all of us,” she said. “We defend many frontiers as a nation, but these are our real tre...
Original source: Dawn Pakistan