The gap between Pakistan’s economic growth rate and its rapidly increasing population is just one per cent, experts warned during a seminar held in Rawalpindi.

They described the unchecked population boom as a “blast” that has already occurred, severely affecting progress in health, education, employment, and overall national prosperity.

Speakers urged the public to become champions of family planning and help the country escape the looming threat of overpopulation.

They also called on lawmakers to introduce effective legislation to support family planning efforts.

Suggestions included offering incentive packages to parents who practice family planning, ensuring better opportunities in health, education, and employment for their children.

The seminar, titled Family Planning Champions, was organised by Greenstar’s Challenge Initiative Programme in collaboration with the District Health Authority.

It featured contributions from doctors, civil society members, journalists, and social activists.

Dr Asif Arbab Niazi, Chief Executive of the District Health Authority Rawalpindi, Dr Naveed Akhtar Malik, District Coordinator IRMNCH, Shireen Sukhan from the Population Welfare Department, and Greenstar’s Alia were among the key speakers.

A robust Q&A session was also held.

Dr Niazi and Dr Malik stated that family planning champions are true benefactors of the nation. They emphasised that no country can achieve development, security, and prosperity—nor access to science, technology, quality healthcare, or education—without population control.

Pakistan now ranks second only to Afghanistan in terms of rapid population growth. While its population growth rate stands at 2.5pc, economic growth is at 3.8pc.

In contrast, China’s growth rate is just 0.5pc, despite having a significantly larger population.

Speakers stressed the need for awareness alongside access to family planning services. Encouragingly, from June 2022 to May 2025, around 350,000 clients have availed family planning services in 15 districts of Punjab.

The seminar concluded with a consensus on the need to raise voices in legislative assemblies through elected representatives and to push for lawmaking around effective family planning.

It was also proposed that making all contraceptive methods tax-free would encourage broader adoption.