ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is adding about 6.2 million people to its population each year, which is more than the total population of New Zealand, Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal said on Wednesday, warning that rapid growth is straining public services and economic planning.
Pakistan’s population stands at about 241.5 million, according to the 2023 census, the country’s first-ever digital population count, reflecting one of the fastest growth rates in the region.
Despite longstanding concerns over population management, progress on family planning, awareness and coordinated policy implementation has remained uneven, with limited sustained investment and outreach.
“Pakistan’s population is increasing by approximately 6.2 million people annually, which exceeds the total population of some countries such as New Zealand,” the minister said, according to an official statement issued after he chaired a meeting to review the impact of population growth on health care and national resources.
“Pakistan is currently the fifth most populous country in the world, and at the current growth rate, it is projected to surpass Indonesia in population ranking within the next five years,” he continued, warning that the rapidly increasing population has become a serious national challenge, placing immense pressure on health care, education, infrastructure and employment sectors.
The meeting was also attended by senior health officials and representatives from the finance ministry.
Kamal said unchecked population growth was straining national infrastructure and undermining effective policymaking, urging urgent steps to bring down the fertility rate from 3.6 to 2.0.
“If we fail to control population growth, our vision for sustainable development will remain unachievable,” he said.
Other participants of the meeting pointed to examples from countries such as Bangladesh, Indonesia and Iran, which have implemented policies to slow population growth and improve public service delivery.
Adviser to the finance minister Adnan Pasha Siddiqui assured full financial and policy support to address the issue, emphasizing stronger coordination among institutions.
The meeting concluded with a commitment to adopt what officials described as comprehensive and coordinated measures to manage population growth and ease pressure on the country’s resources.
