Efforts on to bring population growth below 1.86%: Shahbaz
By Asad Cheema

ISLAMABAD—Minister for Population Welfare, Ch. Shahbaz Hussain Friday said the population growth rate has declined from 3.05 per cent in 1981 to 1.86 per cent in 2006.
Addressing a press conference here, the Minister said the short term goal to reduce population growth rate to 1.9 per cent by 2004 has been achieved and brought down to 1.86 in 2006.
However, he said the government has taken a number of additionalinitiatives to reduce population growth as it was necessary for thecountry’s development.
Highlighting the achievements of his Ministry to control population growth, Ch. Shahbaz said the Population Policy of Pakistan approved by the Cabinet in 2002 is an integral part of overall National Development Plan focusing on improving Reproductive Health Status of people by attaining reducing in fertility, mart and child and neonatal mortality. He said the overall vision of the population policy was to achieve voluntary replacement level fertility of 2.1 children per women by 2020 through the expeditious completion of the demographic transition that entails declines both in fertility and mortality rates.
Ch. Shahbaz said a `National Population Commission 2006’ headed by the Prime Minister with provincial chief Minister and Social Sector Minister, was formulated to provide umbrella leadership to the Population program. In order to deliver health care facilities at the every corner of the country, the Minister said “We have increased Reproductive Health Centre from 114 to 130, while, Family Welfare Centers from 1723 to 2675 and Mobile Service Units from 131 to 275”.
Besides, Ch. Shahbaz said a new project namely “Friends of Family Welfare Centers launched on pilot basis in 8 districts of the country for community mobilization at the grassroot level which will be replicated throughout the country. The Minister said that his Ministry has also launched awareness campaigns countrywide to promote family planning as an entitlement basis on informed and voluntary choice. Ch. Shahbaz said We have also educated 7,000 Ulema to seek the advice, guidance and support of the religious scholars and opinion leaders on various components of reproductive health and population welfare.