The Council of Common Interests (CCI) which is scheduled to meet on Monday (today) with Prime Minister in the chair, will approve measures to reduce population fertility rate aimed at controlling population growth, official sources told Business Recorder.
Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world with a population of 207.8 million growing at an intercensal growth rate of 2.4 per cent per annum between 1998-2017 (Population and Housing Census 2017). At this rate Pakistan's population will double in the next 30 years, compared with an average doubling time of 60 years for other South Asian countries. The population of the country is projected to increase to 285 million by 2030.
The sources said, such a high level of population growth is unsustainable and has already eaten the modest gains made in terms of socio-economic development. The rapidly growing population has direct negative implications for water availability per capita. It will exacerbate food security issues and threaten the country's sustainable development prospects.
The latest Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2017-18 confirms that there has been little change in fertility level while the critical driver of fertility, the modern Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (mCPR) has gone down to 25 per cent from 26 per cent reported in the previous PDHS in2012-13. The unmet need for family planning services remains as high as 17 per cent indicating that millions of married couples are unable to receive adequate access to family planning information and services they desire which is denial of fundamental human rights.
According to sources, being cognizant of the situation, Chief Justice of Pakistan took suo motu notice in Human Rights case No.17599 of 2018-in the matter regarding alarming high population growth rate in the country; in its order of September 4,2018, the court constituted a Task Force to formulate mechanism to curb population growth in the country. The Task Force included Secretary National Health and Services Regulations & Coordination (Convener ),Secretaries of Provincial Departments of Population and Health, representatives of CSOs and development partners.
The Task Force, while keeping in view the challenges faced by Pakistan, has prepared a set of recommendations aimed at accelerating the efforts of the government to reduce Population Growth Rate (PGR), lower Total Fertility Rate (TFR) and increase Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR).
According to the Ministry these recommendations are in line with the provincial population policies and recognize the redefined overall role of the federal government, for coordination, facilitation/ support and international/ bilateral commitments etc as a result of 18th Constitutional Amendment.
Further, to cater to the processes given in schedule -II(4&5) of Rule 10 of the Rules of Procedure of the CCI, the recommendations were presented to Ministers for Population and Health Departments of all provinces on October 23, 2018 at Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination. After seeking the provincial endorsement, the recommendations were submitted to the Supreme Court as compliance to the subject suo motu case. The case was re-listed on October 30, 2018 for seeking approval of recommendations from all the provinces by convening meeting of the CII within 10 days.
The relevant part of the orders of the SC are as follows "federal government is also directed to immediately arrange for the CCI to hold its meeting within ten days for consideration and approval (after some modifications/ alternations etc, if needed be) of the recommendations".
In compliance of the order of SC, the summary was presented to the Prime Minister for approval and convening of the CCI meeting on top priority.
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