The detrimental impacts of overpopulation in Pakistan

While I am writing this article the news reports suggest that a poor lady
in Sukkur tried to commit suicide with her five daughters due to scarcity
of food and miserable financial conditions. This is a strong comment on
society where the pets of a rich man eat food which a poor man is
deprived of. In Pakistan resource allocation is not correct. Trickledown
effect of resources is absent due to which poor is getting poorer.

Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world. In 1960 its
population was 45.9 million while in 2014 it is 188.8 million. Currently
the growth rate of Pakistan is 2.2 percent while the world population is 7
billion but if the same growth rate persists, estimates are that it would
reach 14 billion in the next century.

Pakistan had 2.6 percent growth rate in the 1990s and it was the highest
among the world. Now it is 2.2 percent and still it is one of the most
densely populated countries in the world. That is an ardent reason why
we have failed to achieve the millennium development goals. Over
population leads to an increasing rate of poverty and hunger. Earth
resources are getting limited day by day. Overpopulation poses a great
risk. So far this grave issue has been neglected by many conventional
political parties. It is a great challenge and sooner we realize the
importance of tackling with this issue, the better it would be in
Pakistan’s interest.

When the sources of country run short of meeting the needs of the
people, the result is overpopulation. Among the reasons responsible for
overpopulation include, low per capita income, food shortage,
unemployment. Cultural and religious resistance to check the child birth
are also potent factors in causing overpopulation in Pakistan. Early
marriages, low gab in between the kids, avoidance of birth control
methods, lower house hold saving rates, poor economic growth and
increasing number of unemployed youth are also some of the factors
responsible for this state of affairs. Housing is another big concern. The
people are forced to live in the crowded houses. Sanitation problem
results because houses are being built at a faster pace. Sewer system
problems arise due to this bad sanitation in the newly built houses. The
ultimate result causes diseases like heart problems and cancer etc. The
dearth of housing is forcing the people to cut down trees. Thus the
problem of pollution gets more severe owing to rapid deforestation. This
leads to dislocation of wildlife. Pollution creates problem of congested
traffic on the roads. Over population causes a severe impediment to
environment sustainability and leads to deteriorating life standards. The
natural resources are also reduced due to increasing consumption and the
balance of supply and demand gets greatly suffered. Overpopulation
creates air, water and noise pollution problems and leads to a decline in
the rate of saving and investment of a country. Overcrowding, depletion
of natural sources and environmental deterioration, all are real threats for
our future for which serious and concerted efforts at national and
individual level are needed.

Higher standards of living, better health technologies and the improved

economic conditions of households helped in dropping the death rates in
the developed world. Same was true of Pakistan, birth rate declined due
to improved vaccination and healthcare facilities, but greater number of
people added to manifold problems as rapid growth rates put so many
pressures on food security matters. The other predicaments include
environment hazards, urbanization and poor infrastructure of education,
health, less safe drinking water supply, disposal of sewage etc.
A renowned American author, Dan Brown says that, “Cancer is nothing
more than a healthy cell that starts replicating out of control” Henry
Bergson even went to the extent of saying that “If the self reproduction
of man is not rationalized, we shall have war”

Although Pakistan is an agricultural land yet the 25 percent land of

Pakistan is uncultivable. Huge population is consuming the sources and
the future is becoming more alarming. If the same rate of population
continues the government’s efforts would also be unable to yield results
and it would not be able to give everybody a decent life. It cannot go for
generating more resources and improving infrastructure.

There is a lack of planning. Due to the immense population the NGOs

are also unable to work. The output is possible if the civil society works
in collaboration with political parties and the local government. The
overall low rate of education hinders in bringing any positive feed backs.

There is a point raised by some people that if over population is a

problem for Pakistan then it should be same in India and Bangladesh.
But they are devising modalities to combat this problem. A case study of
a lady health worker in Bangla Desh, Tasleema revealed that she went
door to door and offered advice, moral support and a range of
contraceptives and thus contributed for generating awareness among the
rural women to limit the number of kids for their better upbringing. This
small step and many of its kind eventually have played an effective role
in improving life in Bangla Desh and the growth rate lowered to a
considerable extent.

Reproductive Health Services Centers can help creating wakefulness

among couples about the difficulties in rearing extended families. It is
also suggested that population control must be a part of the manifestos
of the political parties along with other priorities. Highly effective
family planning programmes must be ensured by the government.
Causes of overpopulation must be addressed. There is a need to evolve
strategies. Social and economic sectors strategies should be advanced.

If the women are empowered and educated, their access to healthcare is

guaranteed and sustainable economic growth can be ensured. Also the
marriages at an early age must be discouraged. The political will is
required to meet this challenge. Effective media campaigns can assist the
family planning programmes to help create consciousness among semi
educated people to have the advantages of a restricted family. Again the
emphasis is on socio-religious aspect. Many people take more kids as a
gift of Allah and believe that He would generate resources for them.
There is a need to convince them that if they have more kids and a
limited income then their upbringing would be strictly affected, hence
they must get more rational.

A study implies that “According to statics, Pakistan has one of the most
interesting demographics. It has one of the world’s largest youth with 48
per cent of population aged between 15 and 49 while 56 per cent
population is aged between 15 and 64.” Effective policies can convert
large population into a large economy and a good opportunity and make
Pakistan an economic power house of the region. What is needed is
better and appropriate management of human resources. However if we
are not able to pay proper attention to this great resource then it may
become a burden on the economy of the country. Number of population
must be in harmony with the territory. Even it is said that democracy
cannot survive in presence of over population and if we wish to live with
human dignity and decency we have to bring a balance.
Shanzeh Iqbal

Lahore