Citing the “phenomenal impact” of the population control policies of Bangladesh, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Planning Asad Omar has on Sunday suggested Pakistan should also prioritize population control measures. 

“Let's say Pakistan had enough capacity to provide quality education to only half its kids. If Pak population growth drops to that of Bangladesh, in 10 years we will accommodate every child in the country of primary school age and in 15 years in secondary school," Umar tweeted on Sunday.

He further added it will help the country achieve impact in key developmental areas in the country. 

Significantly, his remark came a day after the chief minister of Pakistan’s Punjab province, the country most populous state, admitted that the high population growth has been creating problems for the province. 

“These overpopulation-related issues in our major cities, as well as those around the world, are a threat to human survival on Earth,” Sardar Usman Bazdar, the chief minister of Punjab, was quoted as saying by The Express Tribune.  

Usman further added that the people’s cooperation and their support for government policy are necessary for overcoming the challenges of overpopulation in the country.  

The population growth exploded in the country in the last few decades, burdening the country’s resources. Once a food surplus state, Pakistan for the first time in its history has recently become a net food importer country. 

On the other hand, Bangladesh, once a part of Pakistan, has recently become a food surplus country as the result of sustained policy measures regarding food production and population control.