Pakistan’s unchecked population growth is an economic, social, and environmental catastrophe in the making. At the Pakistan Banking Summit 2025, Bank Alfalah CEO Atif Bajwa rightly pointed out that population growth and climate change are the two greatest threats to Pakistan’s future. While climate change is a global crisis, Pakistan’s failure to control its population is a self-inflicted wound—one that has long been ignored by policymakers at great peril.
With over 240 million people and one of the highest birth rates in the world, Pakistan’s economy is crumbling under the weight of an expanding population. The country struggles to provide education, healthcare, jobs, and housing for its citizens. The link between economic stagnation and population growth is undeniable: as the number of people rises, so does the demand for resources, but without corresponding economic growth, the result is poverty, unemployment, and declining living standards.
Public services are already overstretched. Schools are overcrowded, hospitals are underfunded, and infrastructure is falling apart. The job market is saturated, with millions of young people entering a workforce that cannot accommodate them. This leads to widespread unemployment, informal labor markets, and growing inequality. With youth frustration mounting, the risk of political and social instability increases by the day.
The environmental consequences are equally alarming. Water scarcity, deforestation, pollution, and carbon emissions are all exacerbated by an unchecked population boom. Climate change will only worsen these conditions, making survival even harder for future generations.
Economic reforms, no matter how well-structured, will not be enough without tackling the root cause—overpopulation. The government must launch a national-level population control campaign, invest in women’s education, and remove barriers to contraceptive access. Political and ideological sensitivities can no longer justify inaction.
Pakistan is running out of time. Without urgent intervention, the country will remain trapped in a cycle of economic decline, resource depletion, and social chaos. The government must act now—before it is too late.
