Lahore, October 23, 2026 – The Europe Today: Experts and policymakers have called for an integrated, whole-of-society approach to managing Pakistan’s rapid population growth, warning that demographic pressures, unplanned urbanisation and climate change pose mounting challenges to the country’s human security and sustainable development.
The views were expressed at a seminar titled “Managing Pakistan’s Population Growth: Dissecting Demographic Pressures, Urbanisation and Human Security Challenges,” organised by the Centre for Aerospace & Security Studies (CASS), Lahore, on Tuesday. The event, part of CASS Lahore’s series of academic engagements examining critical dimensions of security, technology and policy, brought together academics, intellectuals and domain experts. Air Marshal Irfan Ahmad (Retd), a Director at CASS Lahore, delivered the opening address.
Speaking on “Pakistan’s Demographic Trends Driving Its Population Growth: Strategic Implications for the Country,” Mr Minhaj ul Haque, Chief Executive Officer of the Population Centre Pakistan, said the country’s fast-growing population was placing increasing strain on public services, natural resources and socioeconomic development. He called for stronger family planning, greater investment in girls’ education, women’s empowerment, healthcare and skills development, and stressed that coordinated population management, backed by effective policies on education, employment and resource allocation, was essential for a sustainable future.
Dr Razia Safdar, Senior Policy Advisor and Head of the Centre for Health Policy Innovation (CHPI) at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Islamabad, addressed “Population Growth, Urbanisation and Human Security: Emerging Challenges for Pakistan.” She noted that the combined effects of population growth, rapid urbanisation and climate change were intensifying pressure on the country’s health systems and essential resources. She underlined the need for greater domestic health financing, integrated population management and women’s empowerment, and advocated a One Health approach linking human, animal and environmental health.
Dr Shabana Haider, Member (Population), Planning Commission, Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, spoke on “Building a Resilient Pakistan: Way Forward for Managing Population Growth and Sustainable Urban Development.” She urged sustained investment in healthcare, education, skills development and women’s economic participation, and emphasised that integrated population management, stronger governance, better institutional coordination and sustainable urban planning could turn demographic pressures into opportunities for inclusive growth and a more resilient Pakistan.
In his concluding remarks, Air Marshal Asim Suleiman (Retd), President of CASS Lahore, said Pakistan’s growing population must be recognised as a strategic national priority. Noting that the 18th Constitutional Amendment had made population welfare largely a provincial subject, he stressed that close federal-provincial coordination was indispensable. He described the management of Pakistan’s demographic transition as a national imperative requiring a whole-of-society effort, adding that the country’s future would depend not on the size of its population but on its productive potential.
The seminar concluded with an interactive session featuring lively discussion on women’s education, human capital development, rapid population growth, government initiatives and implementation mechanisms.
