July 18, 2026
By Hafiz Ullah Storai Sherani
ISLAMABAD
The global population has crossed the mark of 8.3 billion, and in this rapidly growing world, Pakistan stands fifth with a population exceeding 259 million.
This was highlighted in a conference titled ‘World Population Day’ organized by the Shaheed Bhutto Foundation, held in SZABIST University, Islamabad.
The conference aimed to bring attention to empowering people and understanding how to use available resources sustainably.
Participating experts and youth in the conference said that rising unemployment and the lack of a secure future despite holding degrees have become the biggest challenges today.
Shaima Asif, a Master’s degree graduate in AI & Healthcare said that unemployment was the biggest problem faced by the youth in the country.
“Young men and women are not getting jobs, which is why a large number of them are trying to leave the country through legal and illegal means, and many have already left,” she said.
Another student also seconded this.
“I have just graduated and haven’t received my degree yet, but my entire family and I are worried about my employment,” said Nayab Subhani. “We have a large population, but our country also has resources which are just not being utilized properly. The government should start schemes and programs that cater to the education, health, and employment of the entire population.”
Dr. Saeed Ahmed Rid, Assistant Professor of Pakistan Studies at Quaid-e-Azam University, who attended the event, shared his analysis.
“In just four to five years, Pakistan will rank fourth in terms of population and is on its way to becoming one of the largest countries in the world,” he said. “Until 1971, when Bengal was part of Pakistan, East Bengal’s population was about 10 million more, but now Pakistan’s population is approximately 80 million more than Bangladesh. This means we paid absolutely no attention to the population and did not control it. Perhaps one reason is that Pakistan is a Muslim country and people do not believe in population control, but it should come as a surprise that Bangladesh and Indonesia which is currently the fourth largest country in the world are also Muslim nations. The reason is that Pakistan’s population is currently growing at a ratio of 2.55%, while Indonesia’s population is growing at an annual ratio of only 0.75%. China is an excellent example of a country that turned its population into its strength. However, when a country cannot provide its population with basic human needs, food, education, skills, and a proper environment, it becomes detrimental. When you spend on defense instead of spending on human development, your population inevitably faces difficulties. Consequently, unemployment rises, and people turn toward terrorism and other negative paths. Establishing a formal mechanism to eliminate these issues is the most pressing need of the hour.”
Syed Naseer Ahmad Gillani, Senior Chief of the Planning Commission of Pakistan, addressed the gathering.
“Today, a large population is not the issue globally; rather, a declining population is becoming a problem,” he said. “Many countries are worried about low population, and Pakistan is fortunate to be enriched with this strength. However, it is also true that we have left our youth unchecked to become terrorists. If a low population reduced problems, then Balochistan would currently be the most prosperous and peaceful province in the country. It has the most resources, yet, even apart from security issues, Balochistan is in the worst condition. Therefore, we must first prioritize the health of our youth.”
He said that 40 percent of children in Pakistan are suffering from stunted brain growth; their heights are shortening and health is weakening.
“We must focus on nutrition and health; our country does not lack resources. Currently, 25 million children are out of school, 45,000 schools lie closed, and we are building motorways. This is not how it works; we must work with a vision and give the country a correct direction.”
The delegates at the conference collectively concluded that population growth itself was not the real problem; rather, the unfair distribution of resources and a lack of long-term planning are the real challenges.
It was time to move away from traditional narratives and take practical steps to transform this human capital into a driving force for national development instead of a burden, they said.