The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari released a statement calling for the government to find methods to control the growing population in order to increase sustainable development. In a press release issued by the Media Cell Bilawal House, it endorsed the United Nations campaign called ‘Leave No Child Behind, Count Everyone’ for World Population Day.
The statement further added that during the PPP government’s tenure, significant steps were made to tackle this issue such as setting up awareness campaigns, accessible healthcare and family planning programs. These programs, the statement continued, were set up so that individuals could make informed decisions about their reproductive health.
Moreover, the press release recalled that it was during General Zia-ul-Haq’s dictatorship, when limited awareness about this topic led to rapid population growth which had damaged the cause. It said that Zia-ul-Haq prioritised religious fanaticism over rational and moderate thinking, as a result of which among the several issues Pakistan was facing, population growth became an urgent matter. The PPP politician pointed out that right-wing parties today often overlook the issue of population growth, because of which it has created challenges in how to properly allocate resources for everyone.
In order to eradicate the issue of population growth, the PPP politician stressed on the need to promote awareness about family planning as well as provide resources to set up child care and maternal health facilities, so that Pakistan can tackle population growth as well as provide a better quality of life for all of it’s citizens.
