KARACHI (Dunya News) – President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to sustainable population growth, youth empowerment and human development in separate messages issued on the occasion of World Population Day.
In his message, President Zardari described Pakistan's youth as the country's greatest asset and key to a brighter future, stressing that investment in education, skills development and employment opportunities is essential for national progress.
He also emphasized the need to prioritise maternal and child health and nutrition, saying meaningful national development cannot be achieved without empowering women. The president paid tribute to former prime minister Benazir Bhutto for her historic contributions to women's rights and empowerment.
Highlighting the close link between population and development, Zardari called for greater investment in education and healthcare and urged the government, parliament, civil society, religious scholars, the media and other institutions to work together to transform Pakistan's demographic potential into national prosperity and human development.
In a separate message, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan was renewing its commitment to responsible population planning to achieve sustainable development and shared prosperity.
Referring to this year's World Population Day theme, "Empowering young people to create the families they want in a fair and hopeful world," the prime minister said the occasion reflected the vital role young people play in shaping the country's future.
He noted that Pakistan is the world's fifth most populous country, with more than 65 percent of its population under the age of 30. However, he said the annual population growth rate of 2.55 percent presents significant challenges in education, healthcare, employment, housing, food security, infrastructure and environmental sustainability.
Shehbaz Sharif said the federal government had established the National Population Council to ensure policy coordination between the federation and provinces, oversee the implementation of the national population programme and support timely decision-making.
The prime minister added that the government was prioritising women's and girls' education, healthcare, economic inclusion and equal opportunities, while initiatives such as the Prime Minister's Youth Programme were helping develop empowered, skilled and responsible young citizens.
He also called on federal and provincial governments, parliament, development partners, civil society, academia, the private sector, religious scholars, the media and local communities to work collectively in promoting responsible parenthood, gender equality and sustainable development while addressing population-related challenges.