Policy failures of Population Council: Govt forced to step in with high-level National Council

LAHORE: Given the continuous failure to meet essential targets, the government of Pakistan has been forced to take emergency measures by establishing a separate, high-level body directly under the Prime Minister’s leadership. This critical step has been taken following a clear realization that traditional models like the Population Council have merely served to protect their budgets, employee protocols, and institutional funding while the country falls victim to severe population pressure.

Sources reveal a troubling reality behind decades of research and claims of population control in Pakistan: the highly-paid officials of the Population Council, who draw millions in monthly salaries and perks, have fundamentally failed. Experts suggest that if population growth were to be effectively managed, the requirement for permanent staff, consultants, and project personnel in this sector would shrink, disrupting the continuous flow of international funding. Consequently, it is alleged that annual policy frameworks are deliberately designed to ensure that no practical results are achieved on the ground. By keeping targets incomplete, new challenges can be presented each year to justify the acquisition of fresh funds and secure the longevity of these projects.

Data shows that when the Population Council formally initiated its operations in Pakistan in 1957, the country’s total population was roughly 47.8 million. Today, that figure has multiplied more than fivefold, touching a historic high of approximately 259 million — a staggering increase of over 441 percent. This reality demonstrates that the Council’s research has remained strictly confined to paper; had their models been practically successful, the growth trajectory would have shifted downward. Instead, the annual population growth rate remains locked above the critical threshold at 2.55 percent, adding 3.6 to 4.0 million people annually — or over 11,000 children every single day. Ironically, it is this very inflation of data that the Council uses as leverage to justify more funding.

The most critical aspect of this administrative setup is that those responsible at the Population Council compile reports within air-conditioned conference rooms and luxury hotels, far removed from ground realities. Fieldwork is intentionally sidelined, as real action would yield clear results and completing projects would shift the trajectory of permanent funding streams. This has created a self-serving cycle where lack of delivery is leveraged to approve the next budget. Until the focus shifts from luxury conference rooms to active field execution, Pakistan’s demographic challenges will continue to escalate Population Pressures Intensify.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026