Pakistan’s Population Prospects

Pakistan’s future is closely tied to the fate of its mushrooming population. What must Pakistan do to produce a favourable demographic outcome for itself – and why does this constitute such a formidable challenge? This article, based on a new edited volume, recommends that Pakistan raise awareness about population issues in the country; invest more in human development; and revamp the design and coordination of its population programmes. It also describes the obstacles to attaining these objectives. These include abysmal school enrolment figures; widespread lack of access to family planning services; a struggling labour economy; a poor security situation; and a lack of political will. Ultimately, if Pakistan’s population challenge is to be overcome, all stakeholders must earn the trust of the population they seek to help – particularly in a nation given to mistrust and highly susceptible to conspiracy theories.