Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has said that population explosion and lack of long-term planning are the major causes of all socio-economic challenges being faced by the country.
Addressing a seminar on 'Energy Crisis and Role of Media' here at Hameed Nizami Press Institute of Pakistan, the minister said that it was unfortunate that no attention was given to check the fast growing population during the last 63 years that led to multiplication of problems and squeezing of resources. She said that due to unchecked population growth, the government was facing difficulties in providing best health, education, infrastructure, communication, electricity and other facilities to the people.
Awan said that population growth was the reason for lagging behind by Pakistan in the region, adding that countries in the region improved their economies by focusing their attention to this issue. The minister stated that the country had the potential to overcome all the challenges and added the government was paying attention to this issue as well as on long-term planning to ensure sustainable development and economic growth.
Regarding energy crisis, she said that the government was working on all available options to overcome energy shortage, including special focus on low cost energy project, Thar Coal and exploration of alternative energy resources.
She pointed that bad planning and wrong priorities set by consecutive governments in the past also contributed to confounding the situation. The Minister in that reference stated the example of PEPCO that was given subsidy of Rs 184 billion which was almost equal to Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), she added.
Awan stated that instead of checking loopholes in the system including power theft, large amount from the exchequer was given as subsidy to overcome circular debt. She urged media to play a positive role in highlighting problems of people and projecting positive image of the country.
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