Population of a country is one of the sources of its strength. It supplies human resources for its armed forces, industry, agriculture, administration and other social, economic and political activities. If a country gives proper education and training to its population, they can earn and produce not only for themselves but also for the world at large. The increased production and export of goods can thus make this country rich and strong. But the size of the population should be well within the means of the country to support it.
Every increase in the number of eating mouths must have a proportionate increase in the economic means and the total income of the country. But this does not happen normally. Population everywhere in the world is growing at a rate faster than the development of economic resources. The rapid population growth has become a world-wide problem. It has given birth to many social and economic issues.
Rapid population growth poses a serious threat to the economies of poor and developing countries like Pakistan. Since the resources of national income are limited, the rapid addition in population leads to the scarcity of essential commodities. The food problem in Pakistan has become chronic due to this. The government has to spend billions of rupees on the import of eatables like wheat, sugar, edible oils etc. The valuable foreign exchange spent on the import of these things can be spent more profitably on the import of machinery and other goods needed for developmental activities. It is in this way that high population growth is adversely affecting the economic development in our country.
It is also responsible for the problem of widespread unemployment and constantly rising prices in Pakistan. The government is finding it difficult to provide the facilities of schools, hospitals, roads, houses, etc to ever increasing number of people. If this state of affairs continues, it will result in general unrest and political revolution.
There is a great need to have effective check on population growth. Majority of people are illiterate. We are quite free to make life better or worse for ourselves. If a family has few children to support, they will have better food and better education. They will become useful members of society, and will be an asset for their family and their nation.
AMAILA ZAHRA
Lahore
