PM decides to form National Population Council for national integrated policymaking

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th May, 2026) Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday emphasising effective and integrated national strategy for growing population, decided to establish the National Population Council for national level policy-making.

The prime minister, chairing a meeting to discuss the issue related to the population growth, decided that he would head the National Population Council, that would comprise the chief ministers of the four provinces, the prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and the Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Calling the balance between resources and population a guarantor for sustainable development, Prime Minister Shehbaz said that rapidly growing population was a major challenge increasing pressure on national resources.

He said that the government was making all-out efforts to control the increasing rate of population through awareness campaigns, improvement in health and education facilities, and balanced development.

"A 'whole-of-the-government approach' should be adopted for better population management," he said and directed to ensure the inclusion of religious scholars and community leaders in public awareness campaigns.

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The participants of the meeting were briefed on the country's growing population and measures regarding its control and welfare. They were told that an awareness campaign on family planning was being carried out.

It was highlighted that the population growth rate in the country has reached 2.55 percent and providing family planning facilities at all health centers would help in population control.

It was told that the social protection programs would be linked with family planning as women economic empowerment was a vital in controlling the population.

The meeting was attended by Federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Ahad Khan Cheema, Musadik Malik, Attaullah Tarar, and Syed Mustafa Kamal, Minister of State Malik Mukhtar Ahmed Bharath, and relevant senior government officials.