What should have been done
Successive governments have remained focused on matters of immediate concern with the result that they have had scarce time to ponder over the country’s priorities. This amounts to putting the country’s future at risk.
The population time bomb continues to click while the governments have yet to prepare a population policy. In Iran and Bangladesh the governments have co-opted clerics to support family planning but in Pakistan the governments have taken the opposite direction. Ulema opposed to population control are appointed to chair the Council of Islamic Ideology out of political exigencies. Pakistan has an estimated two per cent population growth rate per year, which is the highest in Asia. The alarming growth rate is causing immense pressure on the country’s resources. Given that about 40 per cent of the population is already living below the poverty line and 5.6 per cent of the population is unemployed, the ever growing population of Pakistan is just adding to the problems of the already impoverished nation. Pakistan has not captured the positive aspects of the demographic dividend as it has failed to evolve policies that favour investment in education, skills formation, health and employment creation.
Equally important is to conduct a biennial population census. The census provides information critical for making national policies. Accurate information helps governments address critical issues. A fair apportionment of financial resources is not possible without a census. Similarly, accurate demographic data is required to delineate constituencies for holding fair elections. Pakistan has not held a census since 1998 for political reasons.
Local government elections constitute the basic tier in a democracy. These could not be held under the previous government and despite all major parties promising to hold them within ninety days of coming to power, they are still nowhere in sight in three provinces. Another issue that continues to be ignored is the formulation of a policy regarding the ongoing climate change which is already being reflected in droughts followed by heavy rains leading to disastrous floods.
