Pakistan’s population surge a demographic drag not dividend: Sherry Rehman

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th May, 2026) Senator Sherry Rehman on Wednesday said Pakistan’s rapid population growth was a “ticking time bomb” that was exerting unbearable pressure on the country’s already strained resources.

Chaired a high-level meeting of the Population Council, Senator Rehman warned that Pakistan was heading towards a population explosion that threatens basic rights and the country’s long-term sustainability. “Our population is projected to reach 390 million by 2050, marking an alarming 62% increase. By then, 256 million people will be in the job market, more than our existing total population. This is no longer a demographic dividend. It has become a demographic drag,” she stated.

Calling for political ownership at every level, Senator Rehman urged lawmakers across the political spectrum to unite behind a shared national commitment.

“Our commitment is across all parties, and it is extremely heartening. But this is not something we can commit to only on paper,” she said. “We need powerful messaging, local and provincial ownership, and multi-party support that follows through. Pakistan is facing population numbers that directly endanger our people’s fundamental rights, the right to clean water, clean air, life, and dignity”, she added.

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She emphasized that population planning must be embedded into budget conversations, economic planning, and development frameworks. Highlighting the crisis of malnutrition and poverty, Senator Rehman noted that 40 percent of children under five were stunted, an alarming indicator of chronic undernourishment and a failing system.

“Forty percent stunting should be enough of a wake-up call for all of us. We defend many frontiers as a nation, but these are our real trenches,” she said. She added that 42% of Pakistan’s population lived below the poverty line, and cultural norms, particularly in rural economies, encourage families to have six to seven children, even when they can barely feed one or two. This directly threatens the life, health, and food security of every infant and child. It affects education, entrenches inequality, and pushes women into the background of every social and economic decision”, she said.

Senator Rehman underscored the urgent need to improve the contraceptive prevalence rate, noting that many contraceptives were imported and already difficult to access for low-income households due to high price.

Senator Rehman appreciated the Population Council’s efforts in keeping the issue alive on national policy agendas.