Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal has said that Pakistan is projected to become the fourth most populous country in the world within the next five years if current population growth trends continue.

 

The minister shared the assessment while chairing a meeting held on Wednesday to review population growth and its impact on the country’s health system and 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 the next five years,” Kamal said.

 

He pointed out that the country’s population is increasing by approximately 6.2 million people each year, adding that the figure is higher than the total population of some countries, including New Zealand.

 

According to the minister, the pace of population growth is placing pressure on key sectors, including healthcare, education, infrastructure and employment.

 

“The rapidly increasing population has become a serious national challenge, placing immense pressure on healthcare, education, infrastructure, and employment sectors,” he said.

 

Kamal noted that continued population expansion is affecting long-term planning and resource management.

 

“If we fail to control population growth, our vision for sustainable development will remain unachievable,” he said, stressing the need to bring down the fertility rate from 3.6 to 2.0.

 

Referring to international examples, the minister said that countries such as Bangladesh, Indonesia and Iran have implemented strategies to manage population growth, which has allowed them to improve service delivery.

 

He said that the Ministry of Health is working with relevant stakeholders to ensure a coordinated response to the issue.

 

Kamal also emphasised the need for broader public awareness and collective responsibility in addressing population growth, adding that it continues to place a burden on the health system.

 

Adviser to the finance minister Adnan Pasha Siddiqui also attended the meeting and assured Kamal of support from the finance ministry.

 

He said that financial and policy backing would be provided to efforts aimed at controlling population growth and added that coordination among institutions would be ensured to address the issue effectively.