Punjab adopts National Population Council Declaration

LAHORE -- Punjab has emerged as the first Pakistani province to endorse the National Population Council Declaration, vowing to enhance population management by bolstering education, skill development, and job prospects. Additional Chief Secretary Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo divulged the milestone during a gathering with a delegation from the National Population Council, highlighting the necessity to convert the nation's burgeoning populace into a valuable resource through strategic planning and investment in human development.

Sahoo underscored that population management is a matter of paramount urgency, cautioning that uncontrolled population expansion could render it progressively arduous to tackle other socio-economic predicaments. The delegation, headed by Dr Shabana Haider from the Population Planning Commission of Pakistan, briefed the assembly on pressing population-related issues, evolving demographic patterns, and pertinent policy concerns.

Sahoo emphasized the requirement for tangible steps to boost public welfare and harness the country's human capital for enduring growth. He also stressed the significance of data exchange and enhanced collaboration between federal and provincial bodies for the effective crafting of population policies. To enhance institutional coordination, Sahoo mandated the health and education departments to promptly designate focal individuals to liaise with the National Population Council.

Attendees included Secretary Health Dr Nadia Saqib, Deputy Secretary Staff Hira Yousaf, and other pertinent officials.