Population planning is crucial for sustainable economic growth, says Miftah Ismail

By Karishma Soorty
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March 13, 2023
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In order to achieve sustainable economic growth, Pakistan's former finance minister, Miftah Ismail, emphasized the nation's need to control its population growth rate.

The former minister noted that the fertility rate is lower in India, Bangladesh, and many Islamic countries than in Pakistan during the 'Reimagining Pakistan' seminar.

Pakistan has one of the highest rates of population growth in the world, according to Miftah Ismail. If Pakistan's fertility rate had been similar to Bangladesh's in the last ten years, Pakistan's gross domestic product (GDP) per capita would have been 10% higher.

Combined with the high population growth rate, Pakistan is ranked among the worst countries in terms of the Human Development Index (HDI), ranking lower than most sub-Saharan African nations.

Pakistan must control its population, as it cannot sustain such a high rate of population growth with its limited resources.

Additionally, Miftah Ismail stressed that Pakistan's children are not in school 50 percent of the time. In Pakistan, only 44% of students enroll in matriculation, while in India, 85% do.

According to a report by Pro Pakistani, the former minister stated that when the education sector is not prioritized, Pakistan simply cannot progress.

As part of his economic agenda, he also emphasised the need for gender inclusivity. He attributed Bangladesh’s high exports to its policy of population growth and focus on girls’ education. It is simply impossible for Pakistan to advance if it ignores its female population, which is 50%.